Finding the last timelady
by loulouflowerpower
Summary: The Doctor and Rose find a woman who has an old fob watch. What will Rose do when she see's how good friends they are together? How will she deal with the fact that they were best friends as kids? set between Tooth and claw and School reunion will go on all the way up to the 11 doctor.
1. Chapter 1 Emma Louise Smith

Emma Smith's life was happy and normal. She was twenty four years old. She had two very loving and supporting parents (both sadly gone now) and she had the job of her dreams; working as a doctor in the middle of London. She even had a boyfriend who adored her to no end but he was working in the Africa. But one of her earliest memories was waking up from a horrible dream about a strange red and orange planet with red grass and a beautiful city sitting safely in between two mountains.

At first the dreams were enjoyable. In the, begin there would sometimes be two boys and sitting next to them would be two other girls. One of the boys and the girl didn't always get along but they would usually stop fighting when the other boy and girl told them to leave off one another.

Emma always tried to remember what there names were but she would always seem to wake up and start to forget the dreams in the first place. When Emma went to her parents when she was younger and told them about her dreams they would tell her that they were just silly dreams and did it really matter if she countered to have them? But that was the sort of thing that they would say if they had never seen how real they looked or at times even felt.

After Emma started going to high school the dreams seemed to stop and Emma forgot about them but after Emma turned eighteen they come back much worse than before.

The first dream that she had looked as if it was in a war zone from an old movie, buildings were destroyed, people were being killed by monsters that looked as if they were made of metal and looked like a pepper pot but something about them made Emma shiver and want to run any were just to get away from them.

And then one day there was nothing just a feeling of pain and a lose so great that Emma would wake up sobbing for hours before being able to go back to sleep. When Emma had been a child she had painted pictures of the plant and of the boys and girls just to remind her about them. She also would write down her dreams in a diary and she would draw things in there of things and people she had seen.

It become, a habit and she used to take it everywhere.

Emma may have had a childhood that most kids would dream about; but she would all ways feel like something was missing. After both her parents died when she was seventeen, she could never bring herself to visit their graves and oddly when she went to the old house that she grew up in an old lady told her that she had lived there ever scenes the second would war.

But even if it was odd Emma shrugged it off as getting the wrong number of the house or something and didn't take much notice. Until one night Emma was walking home from a friend's house when she heard a noise so amazing and that is made who stop and start running to the place that the noise was coming from.

As Emma rounded the corner of an old brick building and ran across the road to a park she couldn't help but think how crazy this all was but all those thoughts stoped when she saw an old blue box's with the word police on it sitting under a tree.

As Emma walked closer a man in a brown suit and tie walked out followed by a pretty blond girl who was laughing about something the grinning man had said.

"... And then Rose, he looked at me and then he said something about needing a holiday and he was out like a light," the odd man in the suit told the laughing girl called Rose before spotted Emma standing there holding her head.

"Hey, are you alright?" the blonde girl called Rose asked seeing Emma standing there.

But Emma didn't seem to hear her because she was having flashes of memories that she had only ever seen in her dreams. One was of a young boy with brown hair and green eyes holding out his hand to another young girl with long straight Blake hair tied up in a plait saying how nice it was to meet her.

Another was of the same boy and girl and another boy with sandy hair and gray eyes laughing about playing a joke on one of the teachers. Each new scene, the same girl would be in it and as they changed she seemed to get older until she become an old woman saying good bye to another old man with the same green eyes as the first boy.

"Doctor, what's wrong with her?" Rose asked as the Doctor started to run over to the girl. To Rose the girl looked around twenty one may be a little older. She had just below shoulder length red wavy hair and pale skin but that could have just been because of whatever was going on with her head. But over all she was very pretty and from what Rose saw before the girl sat down she was tall.

"I'm not sure," The Doctor frowned as he pulled out his sonic screwdriver. All the readings were normal but the girl seemed to be in a dream like state.

"But she was fine a minute ago," Rose said watching the Doctor frown at his sonic screwdriver, "I mean she looked fine and she was standing up when we saw her".

"Yes I know," The Doctor said taking the girls hands from her face to get a better look at her, "She looks as if she is dreaming but I have never seen someone react, this bad before".

"So what do we do Doctor?" Rose asked before spotting a small black bag the girl had dropped. Rose picked it up and started looking inside it. Whoever she was had some lip stick, a phone and a purse.

Rose took the purse out and looked at it, "Doctor this said her name is Emma Louise Smith she's twenty four and she lives at number nine, Baker Street".

"Baker Street, nice place," the Doctor muttered still trying to work out what was wrong with Emma, "And not to fare from here so she must have been going home from somewhere".

Rose nodded before getting out Emma's phone and looking at it, "She has a nice phone".

The Doctor glanced over at Rose who was showing him the Blake touch screen phone, "We must be 2012 because that phone first came out then and you're right it is a pretty good phone for its time".

"I thought you said we were going to 2015 to see that friend of yours," Rose smiled before taking another look in the bag.

"Planes change," the Doctor shrugged, "And it's lucky that we did end up here anyway".

Rose nodded pulling out an ID card with Emma's photo in the corner, "Looks like she works for some hospital as a Doctor,"

"Brilliant, I love doctors" The Doctor grinned at Rose before turning back to Emma who seemed to be coming out of whatever a dream state was, "What else is in there?"

"Just this old pocket watch," Rose shrugged looking at the odd cycles around the side, "It looks pretty old".

The Doctor glanced at if before jumping up and grabbing it out of Roses hand, "It can't be; that's impossible".

"What is it Doctor?" Rose asked staring at the Doctor who was staring at the watch as if he had never seen a watch before, "Doctor?"

He seemed to snap his self out of staring the watch and looked at Emma who was just asleep now.

"Doctor what's wrong?" Rose asked starting to panic.

But he ignored her and picked Emma up from the ground and stated carrying her over to the TARDIS.

"Rose, open the door for me," the Doctor said looking over his shoulder, "I need to do a few tests before I can be positive".

"Positive about what?" Rose asked unlocking the door and following the Doctor to the Infirmary where he laid Emma on the bed and started scanning her.

The Doctor didn't answer for a moment as he finished setting up the scan. The main reason why he didn't answer was because he wanted to be sure before he said anything. And the other was he just didn't know how to say it so he decided to say what came to mind first.

"Rose do you remember when I told you about my people?" the Doctor started off tuning around to face her.

Rose nodded, "Of course I do Doctor".

"Well there is this thing that we can do that makes us human but it comes at a price's," the Doctor said sighing, "The pries is that we forget all about our past lives and we just go about acting as if we have always been human. Now, I have never done this before but I used to know someone that was forced to do it for a number of years".

"Who?" Rose asked.

"An old friend who died when I was still only in my forth body" the Doctor sighed shaking his head, "Anyway, a Time Lord can put there essence inside a pocket watch and then there safe and sound in there as there body go's around thinking that it's human, following me still?"

"Um, sort of," Rose frowned, "So, that pocket watch that I found; you think it could be a Time Lord trapped inside it?"

"Yep," the Doctor grinned, "But I won't know until she wakes up which by going by this reading could be at anytime in the next few hours".

"Right so still a lot of time to wait," Rose sighed.

"Yep, why don't you go make a cup of tea," the Doctor said happily nearly bouncing around the room, "And don't forget to make a cup for our Friend here".

**Twenty minutes later.**

Emma rolled over to her right side and frowned slightly when she heard soft voices and a beeping sound coming from some were next her. As far as Emma could tell she was lying down on something soft like a bed. Was she in hospital? Great that's all she needed.

Emma slowly opened her green eyes to see if she was correct. The room was white with a light green floor and a few tables with odd things on them but it did look very much like some sort of hospital, a small hospital but still on all the same.

On the far left side of the room was a man with brown hair that stuck up all over the place, wearing a brown suit that Emma thought she had seen some were before.

Next him drinking something from a mug was a blond girl with lots of eye makeup on, she too looked like someone Emma had met before but couldn't place.

Emma was about to ask them were she was and who they were when the man turned around and smiled when he saw that she was awake.

"Hello!" he said happily walking over grinning madly. "I'm the Doctor and this is Rose Tyler".

The girl called Rose walked over and stood just a little bit behind the so called 'Doctor'.

"Hi...um...were, am I and what do you mean by 'the Doctor'?" Emma frowned at them.

"You're in the TARDIS," the 'Doctor' said picking up Emma's chart and going over it. "It stands for-"

"Time and relative dimension in space" Emma answered without realizing what she was doing.

Both the Doctor and Rose gaped at her before the Doctor grinned and nodded.

"Oh, you are brilliant!" the Doctor said before taking out the silver pocket watch, "Do you know what this is?"

"An apple," Emma rolled her eyes, "Yes of course I do it's my old pocket watch".

"It looks very old," Rose remarked, "You must have had it a long time".

"I guess," Emma frowned before shrugging, "I can't really remember ever having it in the first place".

"Have you ever tried to open it?" the Doctor asked moving closer to Emma.

"No, why would I bother trying to open an old broken watch?" Emma asked shrugging before putting a hand to her head.

"But how do you know if it's broken if you have never opened it before?" Rose asked.

"Because it is broken," Emma frowned, "Look I don't see what's so impotent about an old watch but my head is killing me and I don't even know were I am or who you two really are".

"Were trying to help you Emma," the Doctor said softly standing right next to Emma's bed, "Here just hold it and tell me if you think it's really broken".

Emma wanted to tell them to leave her alone but she could tell by the look on the Doctors face that he wasn't going to give up, so to try to keep her head from exploding she took the watch from the Doctors hand.

It didn't feel any different from a normal pocket watch until she heard a, voices telling her to open the watch. When Emma looked up at the Doctor she relished she was crying and had been as soon as she had taken the watch.

"It wants me to open it but I don't want to Doctor" Emma wiped her cheeks looking at the Doctor who was watching her almost guilty.

"Don't worry I'll be right here" the Doctor said before moving to standing next to Rose.

Emma took a deep breath before opening the watch.

_**This story starts from after Tooth and claw and just before School reunion. Next chapter will have some information about Emma (is that really her name?) and the Doctor back on Gallifrey. I went back and fixed up some mistakes I found, and this will be a Doctor/OC story later on. **_

_**Oh and any ideas on who Emma's friend that she was walking home from could be? **_


	2. Chapter 2 The Hatter who?

Both Rose and the Doctor covered their eyes when Emma was coved in a golden glow making it so that she couldn't be seen. After a minute or so the light dispersed and Emma was left still sitting on the bed gasping for breath. The Doctor and Rose looked at each other before looking back at Emma who was patting her head and frowning.

"I am never doing that again," Emma frowned still patting the top of her head. "And I have no idea where my hat is. It was my favourite hat to".

"Um... Emma, are you alright?" Rose asked shearing a look with the Doctor.

Emma looked at Rose before frowning at the Doctor, "I'm sorry but do I know you?"

"I've never met a Time Lady called Emma before so I doubt it," the Doctor said moving closer as the girl jumped of the bed faster than the Doctor or Rose thought she could.

"My name is not really Emma," the girl shrugged walking closer to the Doctor trying to work out who he was, "I'm the Hatter because in all of my body's I have always loved hats or at least warn one".

Rose did a double take when suddenly The Doctor reached out and hugged the Hatter and kissed her on her forehead. Rose was about to say something to make them stop hugging when the Hatter pulled back also smiling as big as the Doctors.

"I can't believe I didn't realise who you were!" the Hatter smiled looking at how different the Doctor looked senses the last time she had seen him, "The last time I saw you was when we both in our eighth bodies and I had short brown hair and do you remember how I used to carry around that umbrella every were I went just because it annoyed my parents?"

Rose was even more surprised when the Doctor started laughing to the point that he was nearly crying.

"It's not easy to forget a woman walking up and hitting the Master over the head with a bright blue and yellow umbrella just because he stole her hat, off her head" the Doctor laughed. "And then there was that time that I jumped out from behind that book case when you were looking for me and attacked me with it".

"What about that time that the Rani-" the Hatter started to say but she cut off by Rose who had enough of hearing about how close friends they were. It was obvious to Rose that they had been very close when they had been younger but times changed and it was Rose's time not this Hatter woman.

"Sorry to jut but in but who are you?" Rose asked staring at the woman now standing next to the Doctor.

"The Hatter," the Hatter smiled at Rose who rolled her eyes at her.

"Yeah, I got that bit but how do you know the Doctor?" Rose asked.

"We were best friends back on Gallifrey," the Doctor smiled fondly at the Hatter, "You should have seen us back then Rose, we went everywhere together. The Hatter here was the best person on Gallifrey, to be around if you were trying to pull a joke on someone not to mention the fact that she's a genies. I always told her that she should have called herself the 'Trickster'".

The Hatter shook her head still smiling, "I might have loved making jokes Doctor but I love my hats to much which reminds me, I need to find a good hat to wear and fast".

The Doctor rolled his eyes but didn't stop grinning which was starting to really annoy Rose.

"I hope you don't mind me asking but how can you still be alive?" Rose asked a little bit ruder then she meant to, "I mean I thought the Doctor was the last Time Lord after the Time War".

Both the Doctor and the Hatter lost their smiles and after a moment the Hatter fixed a fake smile and nodded to Rose.

"I don't mind," the Hatter said to brightly making both Rose and the Doctor winces slightly, "You see Rose, the night before the last day of Gallifrey the Doctor came to me and told me of his plan to end the Time War. At first I was horrified by what he told me about what our people were planning and I agreed that they had to be stopped as quickly as possible. So later when I was alone in my room I grabbed a few things and wrote a letter that I knew my parents would find and ran off in my TARDIS and turned myself human".

The Doctor nodded, "I remember your mother coming to me the next day before I put my plane in to action, begging me to tell her were you had gone".

"So you just left without even saying goodbye to your family?" Rose asked trying to think of how hard that would be if she ever had to do it.

The Hatter sighed and nodded, "It was one of the hardest things that I have ever been forced to do and I still regret not saying goodbye in person but I knew that my parents would stop me and if not them then the high council would".

"Of course the high council would have," the Doctor said slightly bitter, "Being who you were and who your father was I'm surprised that they even let you out of there sight let alone near me".

"Everyone knew that if I was going to in, their eyes 'waste my time hanging around with you,' then they were never going to stop me," The Hatter smiled at the Doctor.

Rose was about to ask what they were talking about when her phone rang.

"It's Mickey," Rose said looking at the screen, "I better take it".

The Doctor and the Hatter watched as Rose left the room.

"So... Rose is young," the Hatter said after a moment, "She looks about eighteen, nineteen".

The Doctor smiled fondly looking at the door before looking the Hatter, "She's nineteen and at first I thought she was too young to handily my life but she really is brilliant".

"And she's very fond of you, Doctor," the Hatter smiled seeing the confused look on the Doctors face. He was never very good at seeing romantic feelings just like when she had to point out to him back on Gallifrey when a girl had a crush on him. Not that he was really one for having romantic feelings for anyone.

"What do you mean? Of course Rose and I are fond of each other," the Doctor frowned, "In less you're getting at that Rose likes me more than a friend?"

The Hatter rolled her eyes and stoped herself from face palming, "Doctor you're a brilliant man but sometimes you really can be thick. It's clear as day to anyone with eyes that Rose has feelings for you".

The Doctor frowned and decided that he would think about it later. The Doctor was about to ask the Hatter if she would like to have a cup of tea or something when Rose walked in and smiled at him. Maybe the Hatter was right but it wouldn't be the first time that she saw something that he didn't.

"Mickey just told me about this school that had weird lights seen around it and Mickey wants to know if we could check it out," Rose said.

"Who's Mickey?" the Hatter asked.

"Rose's boyfriend," the Doctor told her.

"X-boyfriend Doctor," Rose frowned at him, "But were still good friends".

"What else did this Mickey have to tell us?" the Hatter asked following the Doctor as he started walking to the console room.

"That was it," Rose shrugged trying to walk closer to the Doctor but he was walking to fast and the Hatter was walking next him anyway, "He just went on about how my mum has been getting him around for dinner every other night".

"Good old Jackie," the Doctor said pushing a few buttons and pulling a lever or two, "Now Hatter, I can tell that you're just begging to change your clothes and find a nice hat, so why don't you go and find the wardrobe and pick out whatever you feel suits your new body because I'm guessing that this is the first time that you have been the proper you in it".

"Goodie," the Hatter clapped her hands before taking off down the hall.

Twenty minutes later the Hatter finely came back to the consol room in her new clothes. She had after ten minutes descend to wear a black pair of skinny jeans, with purple canvas and a t-shirt with a big yellow smiley face on the front. On top of her head was a dark purple and black Burberry hat and a matching scarf that went even raped around her neck twice down to her knees.

"Nice," the Doctor said when he saw her, "I especially like the scarf".

"At least my scarf and hat match," the Hatter said playing with the end of it.

"Wait, don't tell me that you used to wear a scarf like that," Rose said.

"A very long time ago," the Doctor shrugged, "Anyway, when you were getting changed Rose and I made a cover up story. Now Rose is going to go work in the kitchen, I'm going to be a science teacher called John Smith and you're going to be my helper".

The Hatter raised her eyebrows at being the Doctors helper but didn't bother to comment.

"What are you waiting for then?" the Hatter asked walking around and pulling dematerialisation lever, "Let's go and do we really need the brakes on?"

_**This chapter had also been rewritten seeing as in parts the Hatter was a little bit out of character plus all the mistakes. **_


	3. Chapter 3 School reunion part 1

**School reunion part 1**

The Doctor and The Hatter walked in to their new class room where they would be teaching physics. They both thought that all of the kids were too young to be learning about physics but the school thought that they were ready.

The Hatter shook her head and started playing with the ends of her scarf. She could just see what the Doctor was going to go on like and the Hatter was not looking forwarded to having to put up with it.

The Doctor walked over to the front of the class and grinned.

"Good morning, class," The Doctor grinned, looking around at the class, "Are we sitting comfortable?"

"Don't mind him," The Hatter said, seeing how the kids were looking strangely at the Doctor, "He had too much coffee this morning, I keep telling him that it goes straight to his head".

"Yes, thank you, Miss Smith," the Doctor gave the Hatter a look before turning back to face the kids, "So, physics!"

The Hatter shook her head again as the Doctor started say physics over and over again.

"...Physics, physics, physics," The Doctor said before looking over and seeing the Hatter shaking her head, turning back to see the kids staring at him bemused.

"Like I said earlier class to much coffee," the Hatter said as the Doctor ignored her.

"I hope one of you is getting all of this down," the Doctor said, sniffing "Um, ok, let's see what you know. Two identical strips of nylon are charged with static electricity and hung from a string so they can swing freely. What would happen if they were brought near each other?"

A small boy with glasses held up his hand.

"Yes, uh, what's your name?" the Doctor asked, pointing at him.

"Milo," Milo said.

"Milo!" the Doctor grinned again, "Off you go".

"They'd reel each other because they have the same charge," Milo answered.

"Correctamundo! A word I have never used before and hopeful never will again. Question two; I coil up a thin piece of micro wire and I place it in a glass of water. Then I turn on the electricity and measure the electricity to see if the water's temperature is affected. My question is this: how do I measure the electricity power going into the coil?"

Milo's hand went up again.

"Someone else?" the Doctor asked, looking around but no one else in the class put up their hands, "Nope? Okay, Milo, go for it".

"Measuring the current and PDs in an amp-meter and a voltmeter," Milo said, making his class mates and Hatter stare at him.

"Two to Milo," the Doctor said, glancing at the Hatter, "Right then, Milo, tell us this: true or false: the greater the dampening of the system, the quicker it losses energy to its surroundings".

"False," Milo answered quickly.

"What is a non-coding DNA?" the Hatter cut in.

"DNA that doesn't code for protein," Milo answered without blinking.

"Sixty-five-thousand-nine-hundred-and-eighty-three times five?" the Hatter asked before the Doctor could.

"Three-hundred-and-twenty-nine-thousand-nine-hundred-and-fifteen"

Both the Doctor and Hatter looked at each other in complete shock before turning back to the class who were all looking impressed.

"How do you travel faster than light?" the Hatter asked trying not to show how amazed she really was.

"By opening a quantum tunnel with an FTL factor of 36.7 recurring".

Both the Doctor and the Hatter's mouths dropped open in complete shook and amazement.

"Completely correct," Hatter said trying not to show how shocked she was.

...

After class, the Hatter and the Doctor walked into the cafeteria line for lunch. When they saw Rose behind the canter, wearing a hair net and apron the Doctor grinned at her and the Hatter gave her a smile.

The Hatter knew that Rose was no were near happy with her new career choice but the Doctor had thought that Rose could blend in better (and of course Rose had not been happy about that comment) and that the Hatter would get in trouble because she would asked too many questions, but they all knew that the reason that Doctor didn't make the Hatter another teacher was because he wanted to be able to see her and keep her un-harmed.

Before leaving the line, the Doctor gave Rose a small wink before walking off to a table.

"Look, Rose, I'm sorry about all of this," the Hatter said quietly as Rose slopped mashed potatoes onto her tray, "I know that you must be hating you job right now but we won't be here much longer,"

Rose didn't answer so the Hatter sighed, walking away and sat on the other side of the Doctor's table as he lifted up a chip, smelling it before tasting it, making a face at it.

"Don't you like chips?" the Hatter asked as she watched him, smiling fondly.

Before the Doctor could answer, Rose appeared with a wash cloth, and started cleaning the table.

"Two days," Rose muttered.

"Sorry, could you just...there's a bit of gravy," the Doctor pointed at the table with his fork as Rose moved to wipe it, "No, no, just there".

"Not helping, Doctor," the Hatter said quietly.

Rose rolled her eyes at the Hatter and wiped the gravy next to her tray, "Two days, we've been here".

"Blame your boyfriend, he's the one who put us up to this," the Doctor said not seeing the look gave him when he said 'boyfriend'.

"And he was right," the Hatter said, the Doctor nodded his agreement, "A boy in class this morning has a knowledge way beyond planet earth".

"You eating those chips?" Rose asked, not listing to the Hatter.

"No," the Doctor said, pushing them away, "There a bit..." he stopped trying to come up with a word.

"You can have mine if you want Rose," the Hatter pushed her tray away after tasting a chip. The Doctor was right; there was something wrong about them. It left a horrible taste in her mouth so she grabbed her drink from off the table and took a few drinks of it but it didn't help.

Rose picked up a chip and ate it, "I think there gorgeous," Rose said as Hatter made a slight face that the Doctor saw and smiled at her, "Wish I had school dinners like this".

The Doctor looked around the room at all the kids eating and talking quietly with each other, "It's very well behaved this place".

Rose nodded and Hatter also looked around. Not that Hatter had spent a lot of time around an earth schools before but there was something odd about this place.

"I thought there'd be happy-slapping hoodies. Happy-slapping hoodies with ASBOS. Happy-slapping of hoodies with ASBOS and ringtones," the Doctor grinned at Rose and the Hatter, "Yeah? Yeah? Oh yeah! Don't tell me I don't fit in".

"Trust me, Doctor, you don't fit in," the Hatter smiled at him as a dinner lady approached Rose.

"You are not permitted to leave your station during a sitting," the lady said to Rose who jumped out of her seat.

"I was just talking to these teachers," Rose said quickly.

"Hello," the Doctor said, grinning and the Hatter waved, also smiling at how serious the woman looked.

"They don't like the chips," Rose said quietly.

The dinner lady gave both the Doctor and the Hatter a look, "The menu has been speciously designed by the headmaster to improve concentration and performance. Now, get back to work".

The woman gave Rose, the Doctor, and the Hatter all a look before turning away and leaving.

"See?" Rose said, walking away, turning around to face them both as she walked, "This is me," she gesturing down her front, "The Dinner Lady".

"Well have the crumble," the Doctor and Hatter smirked at her.

"I'm so gonna kill you both," Rose said going back to her work, ignoring the Doctor and the Hatter laughing together.

After Rose was out of sight the Hatter noticed a teacher called Mr. Wagner, approaching a young girl sitting a few tables away from them. Hatter nudged the Doctor in the arm and showed him.

"Melissa," Mr. Wagner greeted, "You'll be joining my class for next period. Milo's failed me...so it's time we moved you up to the top class," the Hatter glanced at the Doctor who was frowning before turning back to see Mr. Wagner talking to another young boy who wasn't eating the chips, " Kenny? Not eating the chips?"

"I'm not allowed," Kenny shrugged.

Mr. Wagner nodded, turning to another boy at the table, "Luke, extra class. Now"

The Doctor and Hatter looked at each other before they both spotted the headmaster watching over the room. Mr. Finch looked at the Doctor before looking the Hatter, looking at each of them for a moment before turning and walking away.

"I don't know about you Doctor but I wouldn't let my kids stay at school after hours," the Hatter said quietly.

The Doctor nodded before he and the Hatter got up and walked out.

...

Later on in the afternoon, the Doctor and Hatter were both sitting on the edge of a table in the staffroom talking to a teacher.

"And yesterday, I had a twelve-year-old girl give me the exact height of the walls of troy... in cubits," Mr. Parsons said as the Doctor ate a biscuit and the Hatter drank her cup of tea. Poor Mr. Parsons had been talking for the past ten minutes about how odd he thought the school was.

"And this all started since the new head teacher arrived?" the Hatter asked.

"Finch arrived three months ago. Next day, half the staff got flu. Finch replaces them with this lot," Mr. Parsons pointed over to a group of teaches all talking to each other in a small grope, "Except for the two teachers you two replaced, and that was just plain weird them two winning the lottery like that".

"How is that weird?" the Doctor asked glancing at the Hatter, trying cover his smile up.

"They never played! They both said that it was posted through their doors at midnight".

The Hatter just drank some more tea so Mr. Parsons wouldn't see her smile and said, "The world can be very strange, right Mr. Smith?"

"Very," the Doctor nodded, fighting down a grin.

"Excuse me colleagues," the voices of Mr. Finch called from the door way, "A moment of your time".

Both the Doctor and the Hatter turned around, grinning at each other when they saw who was standing next to Finch.

"Doctor, that's Sarah Jane smith!" the Hatter whispered to the Doctor who nodded, a glassy eyed expression coming onto his face.

"May I introduce Miss. Sarah Jane Smith. Miss Smith is a journalist, who's writing a profile about me for the Sunday Times".

Both the Hatter and Doctor smiled as they watched Sarah Jane looking around the room. The Hatter knew what it was like to see an old companion after years of separation and she also knew after meeting Sarah when she was in her third body, that she was one of the kindest humans on earth.

"I thought it might be useful for her to get 'a view from the trenches', so to speak," Mr. Finch said, "Don't spear my blushes".

"Trust me I won't," the Hatter muttered to the Doctor just as Sarah Jane spotted them, walking over.

"Hello!" Sarah smiled at them, taking the Hatter's hand and shaking it.

"Oh, we should think so!" the Doctor grinned taking Sarah's hand, also shaking it.

"And you two are...?" Sarah Jane asked as the Doctor let her hand go.

"Hm?" the Doctor asked before the Hatter hit his arm lightly, "Oh, um, yes well this is my friend Emma Smith and I'm John Smith".

"And before you ask, no we're not relented," the Hatter said, seeing Sarah Jane about to ask.

Sarah nodded before looking thoughtful at the Doctor, "John Smith? I used to have a friend that sometimes went by that name".

"Well, it's a very common name," the Hatter shrugged, gesturing to herself and the Doctor, "As you can see, Miss. Smith".

"He was a very uncommon man," Sarah remarked, looking lost in memorise before shaking her herself, holding out her hand again, "Nice to meet you both".

"Nice to meet you!" the Doctor gushed, shaking Sarah's hand again, acting like a fan girl, "Yes! Very nice! More than nice, brilliant!"

The Hatter sighed quietly, lightly stepping on the Doctor's foot to stop him from scaring Sarah away and held out her own hand.

"So sorry about, John," the Hatter smiled at Sarah Jane shaking her hand again, "He drank a little bit too much coffee today".

"Will you stop say that to everyone?" the Doctor sighed, "First you tell the whole class now Miss. Smith, really, Emma, I'm starting to think that your trying to embarrass me".

"More like trying to stop you from embarrassing yourself," the Hatter rolled her eyes at him, smiling slightly.

"Um...so, um, have you two worked here long?" Sarah asked, slightly amused at their behaviour with each other. For an odd reason it reminded her of someone she had become close too while travelling with the Doctor.

"No! Um, sorry it's only our seconded day," the Doctor said and the Hatter nodded, putting her now empty cup on the table.

"Oh, you're new then? So, what do you both think of the school? I mean this curriculum?" both the Doctor and the Hatter smiled at her but she didn't look as if she notices, "So, many children getting ill... doesn't that strike you as odd to you?"

Both the Doctor and the Hatter grinned at each other.

"You know Sarah Jane, you don't sound like someone just doing a profile," the Hatter grinned at her.

"Wall, no harm in a little investigation while I'm here," Sarah shrugged before turning and walking away.

"No," the Doctor grinned, watching her as she walked away, "Good for you," the Doctor said with pride, "Good for you, Sarah Jane Smith".

"If you're not careful Doctor, she's going to think that you're coming on to her," the Hatter smiled, the Doctor blinked at her, shaking his head while she picked her hat up from the table, putting it back on, "I think, Doctor, that I'm going to go have a look around before our next class".

The Doctor frowned slightly but nodded anyway, walking down the hall on his own before pausing, grinning as he thought about Sarah Jane.

...

The Hatter was walking down the hallway when she stopped, seeing the boy called Kenny from earlier, running out of a class room and down the hall way.

Hatter frowned and crept closer to the class room but when she opened the door the only person in there was Mr. Wagner, sitting at the teacher's desk as if a school boy hadn't just run out.

"Miss Smith?" Mr. Wagner asked when he saw her, "Is everything alright?"

"Oh, yes Mr. Wagner, it's just that I thought I saw a student run out of class," Hatter said pretending to sigh.

"Yes, I saw him a minute ago," Mr. Wagner said, not seeming to care at all, "I sent him to class so I don't think you need to worry, Miss Smith".

The Hatter nodded and closed the door, frowning, something was very wrong.

...

Later that night after all the teachers and student had left, the Doctor, the Hatter, Rose, and Mickey snuck out of the class room they had been hiding in for the past four hours.

When the Hatter had finely been able to talk to the Doctor about what she had seen, they had descended that they would search the school. She had also meet Mickey Smith, who turned out to be quite a nice, friendly person, sadly, Rose, was for some reason that the Hatter couldn't work out was ignoring her whenever she tried to talk to her.

"Oh, its weird seeing school at night," Rose remarked, looking around the dark hallway they were in, "It just feels so wrong. When I was a kid, I used to think that all the teachers in the school slept in school".

"Ours did," the Hatter shrugged, also looking around, "But that's what made it so much funnier walking around at night. Of course it was easy if you knew what part of the school to stay out of".

"So, you guy's slept in your school?" Mickey asked, looking interested, "Like Harry Potter?"

"Yep, but a lot more boring," the Hatter shrugged.

"Alright team. Oh, I hate people who say 'team'. Um...'Gang'. Um...'comrades'. Uh...anyway, Rose got to the kitchen and get a sample of that oil. Mickey, the new staff are all maths teachers, go check out the Maths department. The Hatter and I are going to check out Finch's office".

"Meet you two back here in ten minutes," the Hatter said before she and the Doctor went running off together up the stairs.

"There close," Mickey commented, watching them run off.

Rose shrugged, fiddling with her watch, "I guess. You gonna be alright?"

"Me?" Mickey scoffed, "Please. Infiltration and investigation? I'm expert at this," he turned and walked away, leaving Rose smirking before he turned back around, "Where's the Maths department?"

Rose smiled and pointed to the right, "Down there, turn left, through the fire doors, and on the right".

Mickey nodded before walking past, "Thank you".

...

Both the Doctor and the Hatter had agreed that they would go back to the TARDIS before checking out Finch's office, but when they arrived at the gym where they had hidden the TARDIS at the back, they saw Sarah Jane Smith, backing away from the back door before she slowly turned around and gasped when she saw them both.

"Hello, Sarah Jane," the Doctor said quietly to the still shocked woman.

"Nice to see you again," the Hatter waved to her, taking off her hat and playing with the edge of it.

"It's you," Sarah gasped, still staring at the Doctor, "Oh...Doctor...," she started moving closer and the Hatter moved a little bit back to give them more room, "Oh, my God, it's you, it's...it's... your regenerated".

"Half a dozen times since we last met," the Doctor said as Sarah moved closer, still watching the Doctor.

"You look...," Sarah said, trying to find the right word, "Incredible".

"So do you," the Doctor said and the Hatter moved so Sarah could see her nodding.

"And his not just saying that, Sarah Jane," the Hatter smiled at her.

"I'm, sorry but you're Emma Smith, right?" Sarah asked the Hatter.

"Sorry, I sort of lied," the Hatter said putting her hat back on her head, "The last time I saw you, Sarah Jane, was back when you were still travailing with him".

But that didn't help so the Doctor stepped in.

"Sarah, do you remember my very old friend, the Hatter?" The Doctor asked.

Sarah Jane eye's winded and she smiled at the Hatter warmly, "How could I forget a woman who crashed her own TARDIS into your one, Doctor?"

The Hatter gave the Doctor a look to make him stop laughing and smiled at Sarah, "It really is brilliant to see you again".

"You to," Sarah nodded before turning back to the Doctor, frowning, "What are you both doing here?"

"Well...," the Doctor said, "UFO sightings, school gets records results, we couldn't resist. What about you?"

"And don't forget getting a phone call, Doctor," the Hatter said and he shrugged.

"Same," Sarah said making them all smile but Sarah's smile vanished and she looked as if she was about to burst into tears, "I thought that you died. I waited for you and you didn't come back, and I thought you must've died".

"We lived," the Doctor said looking grim, "Everyone else died".

"What do you mean?" Sarah asked confused.

"Everyone died, Sarah Jane," the Hatter said painfully.

Sarah Jane shook her head and whispered, "I can't believe it's you two..."

The moment was broken when they all heard someone scream and Sarah Jane turned around and smiled, "Ok, now I can".

That made the Doctor and the Hatter grin before they ran out of the gym, nearly running into Rose just outside the door.

"Did you hear that?" Rose asked before seeing Sarah Jane, "Who's that?"

"Rose I think everyone heard that," the Hatter said before frowning as she noticed the way Rose and Sarah were looking at each other.

"Rose, Sarah Jane!" the Doctor said also noticing the way they were looking at each other, "Sarah Jane, Rose".

Rose looked surprised when Sarah put her hand out and shook her hand.

"Hi," Sarah Jane said, forcing a smile, "Nice to meet you," she then turned to the Doctor and said joking, "You can tell you're getting older, your assistants are getting younger".

"Don't say that, Sarah, it makes me feel old," The Hatter joked before frowning at Rose.

"I'm not his assistant!" Rose nearly yelled, outraged.

The Doctor gave the Hatter a look, asking for help but she shrugged and smiled at him.

"No?" Sarah laughed before turning to the Doctor, "I get you, tiger".

The Doctor sighed and grabbed the Hatters hand, running past them, making the two women follow. They then ran to the maths department to find Mickey standing next to a open refrigerator, surrendered by white rats in packs.

"Sorry!" Mickey said embarrassed, not looking anyone in their eyes, "Sorry, it was only me. You told me to investigate, so I... I started looking through some of these cupboards and all of these rats fell out of them".

"Well, it's nice to know what not to get you for your birthday," the Hatter joked before learning down, picking one of the rats up.

The Doctor bent down, also picking a rat up and looking closer at it.

"Oh, my God, there're rats," Rose grimaced; staring at them scatted all over the floor, "Dozens of rats. Vacuumed packed rats".

"And you decided to scream," the Doctor looked at Mickey.

"It took me by surprises!" Mickey said.

"Like a little girl?" the Doctor resided his eyebrows.

"Don't be so hard on him, Doctor," the Hatter said before smiling, "I seem to remember you nearly having a heart attack when we were in school just because the Master, to get back at you, let a normal rat run lose in your bedroom".

Everyone looked at the Doctor who was staring at the Hatter.

"The Master never told me what he put in my room," the Doctor said, "And this is the Master we are talking about. For all I knew he could have been trying to kill me not just get me back".

"All I know, Doctor, is that you were scared of a normal rat and had to get me to find it," the Hatter shrugged.

"Hello, can we focus," Rose said before the Doctor could say anything else, "Does anyone notice anything strange about this? Rats in school?"

"Well, obviously they use them in Biology lessons," Sarah Jane reasoned, "They dissect them. Or maybe you hadn't reached that bit yet? How old are you?"

"Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to let these two met, Doctor," the Hatter whispered to the Doctor.

"You think?" the Doctor whispered back, watching the two women fight.

"Excuse me, no one dissects rats anymore in schools," Rose glared at Sarah, "They haven't done that for years. Where are you from, the dark ages?"

"Anyway, moving on," both the Doctor and the Hatter said at the same time before the Doctor went on, "Everything started when Mr. Finch arrived. We should go and check his office".

"Unless you two want to keep going at it like cats and dogs..." the Hatter said, giving them both looks before walking out the door with the rest of them behind her but she could still hear every word that they were saying.

"I don't mean to be rude or anything, but who exactly are you?" Rose asked Sarah as they walked.

"Sarah Jane Smith," Sarah introduced herself, "I used to travel with the Doctor".

"Oh!" Rose said, sounding a little smug, "Well, he never mentored you".

The Hatter having heard everything, face palmed herself knowing how much it would hurt Sarah and when the Hatter glanced over her shoulder she saw the look on Sarah's face.

"Oh, I must have done!" the Doctor said, sounding a little guilty, "Sarah Jane! I mention her all the time".

Rose pretended to think about it a moment, "Hold on...sorry...never".

"What, not even once?" Sarah Jane asked, looking and sounding hurt but trying to act as if she was just annoyed, "He didn't mention me once?"

"Don't feel bad Sarah," the Hatter said, feeling more than a little annoyed at Rose, "He never would have told you about me if I hadn't crashed in to you guys".

After that, Rose looked a lot less smug and Sarah Jane seemed to be a little happier. From up the back the Hatter herd Mickey say quietly to the Doctor:

"Ho ho, mate!" Mickey said quietly so that Rose and Sarah wouldn't hear but the Hatter still could, "The misses and the ex's. Welcome to everyman's worst nightmare".

No one talked until they arrived at Finch's office and the Doctor took out his sonic screwdriver to unlock the door.

"The good old sonic screwdriver," the Hatter smiled fondly at it, "Do you remember when we made the first one together?"

"Of, course I do," the Doctor also smiled at the Hatter, "I still have the blue prints somewhere".

Rose from the other side of the Doctor cleared her throat and when they both jumped she rolled her eyes, "Finished?"

The Doctor frowned slightly at Rose but finished unlocking the door and opened it quietly.

"You know the rats could be used for food," the Hatter said quietly.

"Food for what?" Rose asked.

"Rose...you know how you used to think that all the teachers slept in school? Well they do," the Doctor said as everyone looked around the door.

"No way!" Mickey said before running away followed by Rose and at a slower pace Sarah Jane.

Very quietly, the Doctor closed the door and he and the Hatter followed calmly back to where the other's were standing outside.

"I am not going back in there," Mickey told them as the Doctor and the Hatter walked out of the school, "No way".

"Sorry Mickey, but I don't think your going to get your wish," the Hatter remarked.

"Those were teachers!" Rose said pointing to the closed doors of the school.

"When Finch arrived, he brought seven new teachers, four dinner lady's and a nurse," the Hatter said and the Doctor nodded, "Thirteen. Thirteen big bat people. Come on," the Hatter said going to walk back inside the school with the Doctor right behind her, but Mickey stoped them.

"Come on, your got to be kidding!" Mickey said.

"We need the TARDIS," the Doctor said, going to walk back into the school, "We have to analyse that oil from the kitchen".

"I might be able to help you there," Sarah Jane told them happily, "I've got something to show you both," she grabbed the Doctor and the Hatters arms, pulling them over to a car before she opened the boot to show something coved in a blanket. The Doctor reached over and pulled the blanket off to show k9 sitting there.

"Oh, tell me that you didn't make a robot dog, Doctor," the Hatter shook her head but she was still smiling, "I mean I thought that the robot puppy you made me years ago was one thing but making a robot dog, fully grown I might add and giving it to human, don't you think that could have gone very badly?"

"K9!" the Doctor exclaimed in delight, showing how much he had been listing, "Rose Tyler, Mickey Smith and Hatter, allow me to introduce K9, well K9 mark III to be precise".

"It's wonderful to meet you K9," the Hatter said looking closer at him, "He looks a little worse for wear, doesn't he?"

"Why douse he look so...disco?" Rose asked, obviously not impressed.

"Oi!" the Doctor said sounding slightly annoyed; "Liston, in the year five-thousand, this was cutting edge!" he turned to Sarah who was smiling, "What's happened to him?"

"Oh, one day, just...nothing!" Sarah said.

"It's all ways the way" the Hatter nodded.

"Well, didn't you try to get him repaired?" the Doctor frowned.

"Doctor, it's not as if she could go down the local shops and get parts," the Hatter rolled her eyes, "And by the looks of it this could rewrite human sciences in the wrong hands".

"What did the nasty lady done to you?" The Doctor ignored the Hatter and went back to talking to K9, "Eh?"

"Look, no offense but you three stop petting for a minute?" Rose cut in, getting more annoyed, "Never mind the tin dog, we're busy".

The Hatter pulled the Doctor back before closing the Door before he could stop her, "Get in the car, Doctor".

The Doctor gave the Hatter a look before getting in to the front of the car.

...

The Hatter sat across the table, listing to the Doctor and Sarah Jane talking about old times as they fixed K9 every now and then getting the Hatter to come over to their other side to help.

"I thought of you on Christmas day," Sarah Jane smiled, looking at the Doctor just like she did when she was younger, "This Christmas just gone? Great big spaceship overhead, I thought, 'Oh, yeah. Bet he's up there'".

"I remember that," the Hatter nodded, smiling, "I saw it on the news when I was on holiday in Australia. Didn't take much notices of it because of being human and all but still".

Early the Hatter and the Doctor had explained to Sarah all about how Time Lords could turn them self's human, so Sarah Jane now knew all about the Hatter being human for the past few years.

The Doctor grinned, "Right on top of it, yeah".

"You so have got to tell me that story later" the Hatter said and the Doctor nodded.

Sarah Jane frowned slightly and looked over at Rose and Mickey who were talking about something, "And Rose?"

"She was there to," the Doctor nodded, not seeing Sarah's face, "But I wish I could have had Hatter up there. One of the best sword fighters I have ever seen".

"Doctor, that was in my fourth body," Hatter rolled her eyes, "For all I know about this body I could try to fight and end up falling over or something".

But the Doctor didn't seem too notice and if he did he didn't bother to comment.

After a short pause, Sarah Jane looked at the Doctor frowning slightly.

"Did I do something wrong?" Sarah asked, making the Doctor and Hatter both look at her, "Because you never came back for me. You just...dumped me".

The Hatter wasn't sure on what had happened between Sarah and the Doctor. The next time after they had seen each other had been after Sarah had left and the Hatter had thought that she must have just gone home.

"I told you," The Doctor said, not looking at Sarah or Hatter, "I was called back home and in those day's humans weren't allowed".

"One of the most absurd things I have ever heard," the Hatter frowned, "I had to do the same thing to my own companion when I was called home".

"When was that?" the Doctor asked.

"Just after I met you in your six body," the Hatter said, "My companion was called Lily Winters at the time. She was very upset when I told her that I had to take her home but after I explained to her what would happen to her if she didn't go home she agreed that it was for the best".

"Was she the blonde girl that wore big black rimmed glasses?" the Doctor asked thoughtfully.

"And she had a temper and a half," the Hatter nodded before turning back to Sarah Jane who had been trying to think of the right words as they had been talking.

"I waited for you. I missed you" Sarah said after a moment.

"Oh, you didn't need me!" the Doctor said, trying to grin but not being able to, "You were getting on with your life".

The Hatter shook her head at how blind the Doctor could be sometimes.

"You were my life," Sarah said quietly making the Doctor look up sharply and the Hatter nod, already having guessed this when she first meet Sarah, "You know what the most difficult thing was? Coping with what happens next, and with what doesn't happen next. You took me to the furthest reaches of the galaxy, you showed me supernovas, intergalactic battles and then you just dropped me back on earth. How can anything compare to that?"

"All those things you saw, you want me to apologize for that?" the Doctor asked not understanding what Sarah was getting at.

The Hatter shook her head at the Doctor but didn't say anything, knowing that Sarah Jane had been waiting years to say and ask all of this.

"No. But we get a taste of that splendour...and then we have to go back..."

"But look at you, you're investigating. You found that school; you're doing what we always did," the Doctor grinned at her with pride shining in his eyes.

"You could've come back" Sara Jane said again.

"I'm sorry, Sarah, but he couldn't," the Hatter sighed softly, "Just like I can't go back to my companions, Sarah".

"Why not?" Sarah asked, looking in-between the Doctor and Hatter but they didn't answer.

The Doctor went back to trying to fix's K9 and the Hatter looked out the window, thinking about what she would do if she ran in to one of her companions.

"It wasn't Croydon, were you dropped me off, it wasn't Croydon!" Sarah said after a moment.

"Where was it?" the Doctor asked, frowning.

'Typical Doctor,' the Hatter thought, shaking her head.

"Aberdeen," Sarah Jane said irritated.

"Doctor," the Hatter groaned, "You really are an idiot sometimes".

The Doctors head snapped up to look at Sarah, "Right..." he said pausing for a moment, "That's next to Croydon, isn't it?"

Both Sarah and the Hatter laughed a little. A moment later K9 sprang back in to life much to the delight of Sarah and the Doctor.

"Welcome back K9," the Hatter smiled getting out of her chair and standing next to the Doctor.

"Oh, hey," the Doctor grinned moving a little to the left so the Hatter could see, "Now were in business!"

"Master, Mistress!" K9 greeted both the Doctor and the Hatter.

"He recognizes us!" the Doctor grinned turning to face the Hatter.

"Affirmative."

"Doctor, how can K9 know me if I've never met him before?" the Hatter asked confused, "Well, this vision of him".

"I made it so he would recognize people that Sarah Jane trust," the Doctor shrugged before turning back to K9, "Rose, give me the oil!"

Rose and Mickey came rushing over and Rose handed the Doctor the oil. The Doctor took the lied off the jar and went to put his finger in it but Rose stopped him.

"I wouldn't touch it, though, that dinner lady got all scalded!" Rose told him quickly.

"I'm no dinner lady," the Doctor said, making the Hatter smile, "And I don't often say that," the Doctor dipped his finger in to the oil and put it on K9s sensor, "Here we go. Come on, boy. Here we go".

"Oil," K9 started reading, "Ex-ex-ex-extract ana-an-analyzing..."

Mickey started laughing in delight, "Listen to it, man! That's a voice!"

"Carful!" Sarah Jane warned, joking, "That's my dog!"

"Never get in the way of Sarah Jane and her dog," the Hatter smiled.

Mickey gave Sarah a sheepish look.

"Confirmation of an-analysis," K9 said after a moment, "Substance is krilltane Oil".

Both the Doctor and the Hatter looked at each other and said at the same time, "They're Krilltenes".

"Is that bad?" Rose asked, frowning.

"Very. Think of how bad things could possibly be, and add another suitcase full of bad," the Hatter said, still looking at the Doctor who nodded.

"And what are...krilltenes?" Sarah asked.

"They're a composite race. Just like your culture is a mixture of traditions from all sorts of countries, people you've invaded or have been invaded by, you've got bits, bits of Viking, bits of France, bits of whatever, the Krillitanes are the same," the Hatter said before turning to face the Doctor again who nodded and also started explaining.

"Amalgam of the races they've conquered. But they take physical aspects as well. They cherry pick the best bits from the people they destroy. That's why I didn't recognize them. The last time I saw Krillitanes, they looked just like us except they had really long necks," the Doctor said putting his hands in his hair.

"What're they doing here?" Rose asked.

"It's the children," the Hatter said horrified, "They must be doing something with the kids".

After that they all decided that they would go back to Sarah Jane's house and wait until the mourning. The Hatter was helping Mickey and Sarah put K9 back in Sarah's car when Mickey asked the question that he had obviously been thinking about.

"So, what's the deal with the tin dog?" Mickey asked, pulling the blanket over K9.

Sarah smiled fondly at the now covered dog, "The Doctor likes travelling with entourage. Sometimes they're humans, sometimes they're aliens and sometimes...they're tine dogs," the Hatter nodded when Sarah and Mickey looked at her before Sarah turned back to Mickey, "What about you? Where do you fit in the picture?"

"Me?" Mickey grinned, looking in-between Sarah and the Hatter, "I'm their Man –in-Havana. I'm the technical support, I'm..." Mickey trailed off as he realised something, "Oh, my God. I'm the tin dog," he then collapsed, leaning against the car as Sarah and the Hatter patted him on the shoulder.

"Mickey, I don't know how the Doctor looks at you but I don't see you as any tin dog," the Hatter told him, trying to make him feel better and it seemed to work a little. The Hatter was about to say more when she saw Rose and the Doctor walking out of the cafe looking as if they were fighting. Using her Time Lady hearing she could hear what they were talking about.

"How many of us have there been travelling with you?" Rose asked, making the Doctor turn quickly.

"Does it matter?" the Doctor frowned at Rose.

"Yeah, it does," Rose said, moving a little closer to the Doctor, "If I'm just the latest in a long line".

The Hatter shook her head, already knowing that Rose would be upset about not having always been the only woman in the Doctors life. Wait until she finds out about the Doctor having been married and with kids.

"As opposed to what?" the Doctor frowned.

"I thought you and me were...but I obviously got it wrong. I've been to the yeah five billon, right, but this is really seeing the future. You just leave us behind. Is that what you're going to do to me?"

The Hatter was about to go over and try to help the Doctor out when he spoke.

"No," the Doctor said quickly, "Not to you, or you Hatter".

The Hatter jumped slightly and realised that the Doctor was looking over at her, smirking slightly.

"What was that?" the Hatter asked trying to look as if she had no idea what he was talking about.

"I know you, Hatter," the Doctor rolled his eyes and walked over, grabbing her arm, pulling her over to a now irritated Rose who was glaring daggers at the Hatter, "Now instead of you listening in you can stand here and jump in if you feel like it".

The Hatter blushed slightly at being court and started playing with the end of her scarf.

"But Sarah Jane..." Rose said sounding more annoyed and a little hurt now, "You were that close to her once, and now...you never even mention her now. Why not?"

The Doctor didn't say anything for a moment looking at the Hatter before turning back to Rose, "We don't age. We regenerate. But humans decay. You wither and die. Imagine watching that happen to someone who you..."

"What Doctor?" Rose asked.

The Hatter was about to finish what the Doctor was about to say when he started talking again.

"You can spend the rest of your life with me, but I can't spend the rest of mine with you. We have to live on. That's the curse of the time lords," the Doctor said, pleading for Rose to understand.

The Hatter went to open her mouth but she was cut off by a loud screeching sound and the Doctor's arm pushing her behind his back.

"Was that a krillitane?" Sarah asked, rushing over with Mickey, watching as a big bat like shape flew away.

"But it didn't even do anything, it just flew off," Rose frowned, watching as the Krillitane flew away, "What did it do that for?"

The Doctor and the Hatter didn't answer but continued to watch.

_**Edited 19/1/2013.**_

_**I edited this because when I went back and reread it I realised how many mistakes there was, plus the Hatter didn't seem quite right, I really hope you liked it,tell me what you thought, please review :)**_


	4. Chapter 4 School reunion part 2

_**School reunion part 2**_

The next day, just as the bell was ringing, Sarah Jane pulled her car up in the school car park. They all stepped out and started walking toward the school but before they reached the doors, the Doctor turned back to the group.

"Rose, Sarah, and Hatter," he nodded to them, "You go to the Maths room. Crack open those computers, we need to see the hardware inside. Here, you might need this," Rose held out her hand as he pulled out his sonic screwdriver but he gave it to the Hatter, earning an annoyed look from Rose.

"I really need to build a new sonic," the Hatter sighed, taking the sonic and putting it in her jeans pocket.

"Mickey," the Doctor said, pointing at Mickey, "Surveillance. I want you out side".

"Just stand outside?" Mickey asked.

"Sarah Jane, give him your car keys," the Hatter said, Sarah handed them over with asking why; "He can keep K9 company".

"Don't forget to leave the window open a crack," the Doctor said over his shoulder.

"But he's metal!" Mickey called after them as they started walking away.

"I didn't mean for him," the Doctor smirked over his shoulder before the Hatter hit him on the back of his head, "What was that for?"

"Be nice, Doctor," the Hatter smiled at him.

"What're you gonna do?" Rose asked, rolling her eyes at them.

"It's time I had a word with Mr. Finch," the Doctor replied before walking off.

….

The Hatter had needed to check to make sure the cost was clear and she had left Sarah Jane to sonic the computers, maybe not the best idea leaving them two alone but she needed to check. When she had gone back to the room, she found Rose under the table and Sarah leaning against it, talking with each other.

"Used to work first time in my day," Sarah commuted.

"Well, things were a lot simpler back then," Rose said from under the table.

"Rose," Sarah said after a moment of silences that Hatter thought about interrupting, "Can I give you a bit of advice?"

Rose moved from out of under the computer table, looking annoyed, "I've got a feeling that you're about to".

The Hatter had seen enough and she walked over to the two women, frowning at Rose, "Rose, that's enough".

Rose shot the Hatter a glare over her shoulder before turning back to Sarah.

Sara Jane gave the Hatter a grateful look before turning back to Rose, "I know how intense a relationship with the Doctor can be, and I don't want you to feel like I'm intruding..."

"Trust me, you're not doing anything like that Sarah," the Hatter said before giving Rose a pointed look, "Right, Rose?"

"I don't feel threatened by you if that's what you mean," Rose said quickly, ignoring the Hatter.

"Right.," Sarah nodded, leaning back from Rose, "Good. Because, I'm not interested in picking up from where we left off..."

"No?" Rose scoffed, making the Hatter narrow her eyes at her, "With the big sad eyes and the robot dog? What else were you doing last night?"

"Rose, stop it," the Hatter said firmly but no one seemed to hear her.

"I was just saying how hard it was to adjusting to life back on earth..."

Rose started to walk away from Sarah and the Hatter before stopping, "The thing is...when you two met...they'd only just got rid of rationing. No wonder all that space stuff was a bit much for ya".

The Hatter groaned into her hands, knowing that they weren't going to stop fighting and that trying to get in there way was just going to make things worse.

Sarah Jane walked closer to Rose, rising to the challenge, "I had no problem with space stuff. I saw things that you wouldn't believe".

Rose glared at her, "Try me".

"Mummies," Sarah said.

"Hey, me to," the Hatter said, trying to get them to stop fighting.

"I've met ghost," Rose rolled her eyes, ignoring the Hatter.

"Robots. Lots of Robots".

"Slitheen. In downing street".

"I bet that was fun," the Hatter muttered, watching the two women fight, dully.

"Daleks!" Sarah said, thinking she had won.

The Hatter shrived at the thought of Daleks.

Rose scoffed, "Met the emperor".

"Anti-Matter monsters"

"Gas masked Zombies!"

"Real living dinosaurs!"

"Check, no, check," the Hatter sighed, sitting on one of the tables.

"Real living werewolf!"

"I really need to get the Doctor to tell me that one," the Hatter said to herself, looking thoughtful.

"_The _loch Ness Monster" Sarah Jane finely yelled, making the Hatter who had been thinking jump of the table and look towards the door, thinking someone was there.

Rose not taking any notices of the Hatter, blinked, "...Seriously?"

Sarah gasped and put her hand over her mouth as Rose smiled, the Hatter sighed, looking happy about them not fighting anymore.

"It's like me and my mate Shireen. The only time we fall out was over a man, and you're arguing over the Doctor," Rose said smiling slightly at Sarah Jane.

"Does that mean that you're finished fighting, now?" the Hatter asked.

"Sorry, Hatter," Sarah Jane blushed, "We got a little carried away".

"You could say that," the Hatter nodded.

After a moment, Rose turned to Sarah, "With you, did he ever do that thing were he'd explain something at ninety miles per hour, and you would go 'what?' and he'd look at you like you just dribbled on your shirt?"

"All the time!" Sarah laughed, making the Hatter watch on, amused, "Dose he still stroke bits of the TARDIS?" she asked after she calmed down a little.

"Hey, what's wrong with doing that?" the Hatter asked but they were both to busy laughing.

That's when the Doctor walked in, "How's it going?" he asked, not taking any notice of the two giggling women.

The Hatter ran over to the Doctor who was watching Sarah and Rose, very confused, finely taking notice as there laughter increased, "Don't you dare leave me alone in the same room as these two again".

"Why?" the Doctor asked, blinking as he looked at her.

"They only just stopped fighting with each other about this and that," the Hatter said, hitting the Doctors arm, "And what's wrong with patting parts of the TARDIS?"

The Doctor shook he's head and walked closer to the two laughing woman, "Listen, I need to find out what's programmed inside these," he said, trying ignore the still laughing woman.

"What? Stop it!" he frowned, looking over at the Hatter, "A little help would be nice".

The Hatter rolled her eyes before putting two fingers in her mouth and whistling loudly, making both women jump and stop laughing.

"Finished?" the Doctor asked, rubbing his ears as the Hatter cast him a slightly amused look.

Both Sarah and Rose blushed, Rose went to say something when children started coming in to the room.

"No, no...this classroom's out of bounds," the Hatter quickly ran over to the doors, ushering the kids away, "You all have to go to the South Hall. There you go, South Hall," she closed the doors and turned around to help the Doctor as he started pulling the wires out a computer.

"I can't shift it," the Doctor muttered to the Hatter.

"I thought the sonic screwdriver could open anything!" Sarah shook her head.

"Anything except a deadlock seal," the Hatter answered as she started typing on one of the computers, "Oh, and wood".

"There's gotta be something inside here," the Doctor sighed, running his hands in his hair, "What are they teaching those kids?"

Suddenly, every computer screen showed a green cube that spiralled around, making some sort of code.

"No, no, please tell me that I'm seeing things," the Hatter gasped, jumping back from her computer, looking around the room.

"You wanted the programme, there it is," Sarah Jane said to the Doctor.

"Some sort of code..." the Doctor frowned before seeing the Hatter looking horrified, "No...no, they can't be...?"

"It can't be but it is," the Hatter said, sounding and looking sick.

"What is it?" Rose asked, confused.

"The Skasis Paradigm," both the Hatter and the Doctor said in unison.

"The Skasis what?" Sarah Jane frowned.

"The...God maker," the Doctor explained, quickly as he still stared at the screen, "The universal theory. Crack that equation and you've got control of the building blokes of the universe. Time and space and matter, yours to control".

"What, and the kids are like a giant computer?" Rose asked.

"Yes," the Hatter nodded, still staring horrified at the screen, "And their learning power is being accelerated by the oil. That oil from the kitchens, it works as a conducting agent. It's what makes the kids cleverer".

"But the oil's on the chips," Rose realised, looking slightly sick herself, "I've been eating them".

"What's fifty-nine-times-thirty-five?" the Doctor asked, turning to face Rose.

"Two-thousand-and-sixty-five," Rose said fast, making the Doctor incline his head at her, "Oh my God..."

"But why use children?" Sarah Jane asked, "Can't they use adults?"

"No, it's got to be children," the Hatter sighed, taking her hat off and nervously playing with it.

"The Hatter's right," the Doctor nodded, "The God-maker needs imagination to crake it. They're not just using the children's brains to break the code...they're using their souls".

"Let the lesson begin," a voices from the door way said, making everyone turn around as Mr. Finch started walking closer to them all.

"Think of it, Doctor, Hatter was it?" Mr. Finch said, smiling as the Hatter gave a slight nod, "With the paradigm solved, reality becomes clay in our hands. We can shape the universe and improve it".

"Oh yeah?" the Doctor scoffed at Finch, "The whole of creation with the face Mr Finch. Call me old fashioned, but I like things as they are".

"You act like such a radical, and yet all you want to do is preserve the old order," Finch said while he looked at the Doctor and the Hatter, "Think of the changes that could be made if this power was used for good".

"What, by someone like you?" the Hatter laughed.

"No...people like you two," Finch said, surprising both the Doctor and Hatter, "The paradigm gives us power, but you two could give us wisdom. Become Gods, at my side. Imagine what you could do-think of the civilizations you could save. Perganon, Assinta. Your own people, Doctor, Hatter. Standing tall, the time lords...reborn".

The Doctor and the Hatter didn't say anything. The idea was very tempting but at the back of the Hatter's head, she could hear a little voices telling her how wrong it was.

"Doctor, Hatter, don't listen to him," Sarah Jane said quietly.

That was when Finch turned on Sarah, "And you could be with him throughout eternity. Young...fresh...never wither, never age...never die. Their lives are so fleeting. So many goodbyes. How lonely you must be, Doctor and Hatter. Join us".

"We could save everyone..." the Doctor said quietly.

"Yes," Finch nodded smiling.

"We could stop the war and all the death from it," the Hatter breathed, "My family..."

"No," Sarah Jane said loudly, making everyone look at her, "The universe has to move forward. Pain and loss, they define us as much as happiness or love. Whether it's a world or a relationship...everything has its time. And everything ends".

The Doctor glanced at the Hatter who was looking paler than normal and as he watched, she looked at him and nodded. The Doctor gave her a small smile rushed past Finch picking up a chair and launched it, smashing it into a computer screen.

"Out!" the Hatter and the Doctor yelled to the others, running past Finch and outside. They all ran to the bottom of the starts were they saw Mickey and the boy called Kenny was waiting.

"What's going on?" Mickey asked as three krillitanes flew down the corridor towards them.

"Ask questions later, run now," the Hatter said, grabbing Mickey's arm and pulling him along. They all ran in to the canteen and tried to open the doors on the other side of the room. The Doctor reached inside his coat to pull out his sonic screwdriver but stopped when Finch and four other Krillitans came in.

"Are they my teachers?" Kenny asked.

"Yeah," the Doctor said, "Sorry".

"Leave the Doctor and the Hatter alive," Finch ordered to the other Krillitans, "As for the others...you can feast".

"It's nice to know that you care, Finch," the Hatter said, ducking as the krillitan started attacking.

"Hatter, time and place for Jokes and right now isn't the time," the Doctor called over to her as he fended his self with a chair.

"Didn't stop you in the past," the Hatter cheekily replied, also picking up a chair.

The Krillitans screamed as a bust of red light hit one of their brothers, killing him.

"K9!" Sarah Jane shouted as Finch yelled because of his brother's death.

"Suggest you engage in running mode Mistress," K9 said.

"Come on!" the Doctor called, leading the others away as K9 began to fire on the Krillitanes again, "K9, hold them back!"

"Affirmative Master," K9 said, "Maximum defence mode!"

"Sarah Jane, have I ever said how much I love your dog?" the Hatter grinned as everyone run through the Door.

"And again not really the time Hatter," the Doctor said, slamming the door behind him and locking it with the sonic. He then turned around and followed the Hatter as she led them in to the nearest room, the Physics lab.

"Hang on a minute," the Hatter said before she started talking fast, making everyone look at her, "It's the oil! Krillitane life formes can't handle the oil! We have been so stupid! They've changed the physiology so often; even their own oil is toxic to them!"

The Doctor looked as if he could kiss her but turned to Rose instead, "How much was there in the kitchens?"

"Barrels of it," Rose answered.

"Brilliant," the Hatter sighed before everyone jumped as the Krillitanes started trying to break the door down, "And it looks like they've found us".

"Okay, we need to get to the kitchens," the Doctor said, turning to Mickey, "Mickey..."

"What now?" Mickey frowned at him, "Hold the coats?"

"Don't be like that, Mickey," the Hatter smiled at him, "And you bring up a good point, I need to get myself a coat".

"Get all the children unplugged and out of the school," the Doctor said, ignoring the Hatter, "Now then, bats, bats, bats, how do you fight bats?"

"Use Batman?" the Hatter suggested, trying to lighten the mood.

Kenny walked over to the fire alarm and broke the glass with his elbow, setting the alarm off. The Krillitanes started crying on the other side of the door and backing away from it. The Hatter and the Doctor both grinned at the boy before the Doctor flung open the door and everyone else followed quickly.

As they ran down the hall the alarm suddenly stopped and K9 emerged from a door way, happily crying out, "Master!"

"Come on, boy!" the Doctor said, running past him, "Good boy!"

K9 followed as they all ran towards the kitchen. The Doctor and the Hatter rushed over to the barrels when they arrived in the kitchen.

"They've been deadlock sealed!" the Doctor and Hatter ran over to the next barrel.

"I bet it was Finch," the Hatter groaned, "We can't open them!"

"The vats would not withstand a direct hit from my laser," K9 told them, "But my batteries are failing".

"Right. Everyone out the back door, K9 stay with me," the Doctor said before turning to the Hatter, "And that includes you".

"Think again, Doctor," the Hatter said.

The Doctor gave a sigh but knew that he had no chances on getting her to leave, "Fine, but you stay right their".

The Hatter smiled at him before turning to face Rose, Sarah Jane and Kenny who were still standing there, "You lot don't just stand there. Run".

Rose looked as if she was going to argue but Sarah grabbed her arm and they ran out with Kenny right behind them.

"What's the bet that Sarah Jane is waiting right outside?" the Hatter asked the Doctor as they moved one of the barrels.

"Do I really need to answer that?" the Doctor said.

"Capacity for only one shot, Master, Mistress," K9 announced to them, "For maximum impact, I must be placed directly in front of the vat".

The Doctor paused and looked at K9, "But you'll be trapped inside".

"That is correct," K9 said.

"We can't let you do that K9," the Hatter said, sitting on the floor next K9.

"No alternative possible, Mistress," K9 said.

"But there's always another way," the Hatter said, looking up at the Doctor, "Doctor?"

The Doctor didn't answer. They both looked at the door when they heard the Krillitanes and they both realized that there was no other way.

"Goodbye, old friend," the Doctor said quietly, patting his head.

"Goodbye, Master," K9 said.

"I wish I could have known you better K9," the Hatter said, also patter his head, "This version of you, anyway".

"Goodbye, Mistress," K9 said again.

"You good dog," the Doctor said, giving K9 a sad smile.

"Affirmative," K9 waggled his ears and tail. The Doctor patted K9 one more time before helping the Hatter up and running out side together and slamming the door, and sonic it.

"Where's K9?" Sarah asked, waiting just like the Hatter said.

"Oh, Sarah Jane," the Hatter said sadly.

"We need to run," the Doctor said before he starting to run off.

"Where is he?" Sarah asked again, not moving away from the door, "What've you done?"

The Doctor ran back and grabbed Sarah's arm and the Hatters and pulled them away with him.

When they got to the front of the school, they saw all the children safe and cheering as the school exploded. Rose and Mickey began cheering also but no one notices that the Hatter, Sarah, and the Doctor weren't.

"Yes!" the Hatter saw the boy, Kenny shout.

"Did you have something to do with it?" Melissa, a young girl turned around and asked him.

"Yeah, I did," Kenny smiled at her.

Melissa mouth dropped and she grabbed his arm and began to shout, "Oh, my God. Kenny blew up the school! It was Kenny!" the kids started cheering louder than before.

"I'm sorry," the Doctor said to Sarah who was very pale and shaky.

"We both are," the Hatter said gently, putting an arm around Sarah's shoulders.

"It's all right," Sarah Jane said to quickly, "He was just a...daft metal dog, really".

But as she finished talking, she burst in to tears and the Doctor also put an arm around her.

"Don't worry, Sarah," the Hatter said quietly, resting her head on the sobbing women's shoulder as the Doctor rubbed cycles on her back, "Everything is going to be fine. I promise".

….

The next day, the Doctor and the Hatter walked outside of the TARDIS to find Sarah Jane standing outside, waiting.

"Cuppa tea?" the Doctor asked before standing out of her way so she could go inside. The Hatter closed the Doors and smiled as she watched Sarah Jane looking around.

"You've redecorated!" Sarah smiled, looking around.

"Do you like it?" the Hatter asked, smiling herself at the look on her old friends face.

"Oh, I...I do," Sarah Jane smiled, "Yeah. I preferred it as it was, but uh...yeah. It'll do!"

"I love it," Rose commented, grinning.

"Hey, you what's forty-seven times three-hundred-sixty-nine?" Sarah asked Rose.

"No idea," Rose shrugged, "It's gone now. The oil's faded".

"But your still clever," Sarah said, "More than a match for him".

"You and me both," Rose smiled at Sarah.

"I'm with you two there," the Hatter smiled over at the two of them, "And it's nice to see you two getting along with each other".

Rose rolled her eyes and forced a smile looking over at the Doctor, "Doctor?"

Doctor looked up, having been playing with the consol, "Um, we're about to head off, but...you could come with us".

"Oh, please, Sarah Jane," the Hatter smiled at her, "I really have loved seeing you again".

Sarah Jane looked in-between the Doctor and the Hatter and slowly shook her head, "No... I can't do this anymore," both the Hatter's and the Doctors smiles faded slightly, "Besides; I've got a much bigger adventure ahead! And it's time I stopped waiting for you, Doctor, and find my own life".

"Can I come?" Mickey asked, making everyone look at him, "No, not with you. I mean ...with you," he said to Sarah before looking at the Doctor and the Hatter, "Because I'm not the tin dog...and I wanna see what's out there".

"Oh, go on Doctor," Sarah smiled, "Sarah Jane Smith and Mickey Smith. You need a Smith on board!"

"Hatter, what do you think?" the Doctor asked, turning to face her, "You've always been good at picking people".

"I think it's a brilliant idea," the Hatter grinned, "Sarah Jane your right, we really do need a Smith around here".

Mickey laughed but stopped when he saw Rose's face, "Rose, is that okay?"

"No, great. Why not?" she rolled her eyes slightly, making the Hatter and the Doctor look at each other.

"Well, I'd better go," Sarah said after an awkward moment. Sarah Jane grabbed Rose's hand and pulled her over to the side.

The Hatter and the Doctor walked over to the other side of the room and tried not to listen.

After a minute of the two women talking, Sarah gave Rose a hug and walked out of the doors with the Doctor following her. After a little time spent in silences, the Doctor came back in and smiled at the Hatter.

"That really was a brilliant idea to make a new K9 and her own sonic," the Doctor said.

"I know how much Sarah loved the old K9," the Hatter shrugged," I also guessed that it might come in handy," she winked at him before turning to Mickey, "So, Mickey Smith, anywhere and everywhere, your choices".

Mickey shrugged, grinning, "Don't care".

"Alright, we'll let the TARDIS pick," the Doctor said pulling a lever, "Hatter, come help me drive her".

The Hatter smiled and started helping the Doctor to drive as Rose and Mickey went and had a look around.

_**Hope you liked it; you may have to wait for the next chapter, please review :)**_

_**Edited the 27/4/2013. **_


	5. Chapter 5 girl in the fireplace part 1

_**To Time lady, Hatter's TARDIS will be talked about soon in the next few chapters. Also, the Doctor and the Hatter have never been married together and they didn't travel together but they did have a few adventurers together or just run into each other in at least all of their body's (other then 9). And the Hatter is not the grandmother to Susan but she was a mother and a grandmother at one point, and yes, I will be doing the 11 Doctor. **_

_**The girl in the fireplace part 1**_

"It's a spaceship!" Mickey exclaimed, delighted as they all stepped out of the TARDIS together, "Brilliant, I got a spaceship on my first go!"

The Hatter smiled at how happy Mickey was, "You know, Mickey, you remind me of one of my first companion".

"Looks kind of abandoned..." Rose remarked, walking around Mickey and the Hatter, "Anyone on board?"

"Nah, nothing here," the Doctor shook his head, glancing around, "Well! Nothing dangerous. Well! Not that dangerous..." the Hatter smiled at the Doctor as he turned around and looked at her, "You know what, I'll just have a quick scan...in case there's anything dangerous".

"I'll help you," the Hatter said, walking over to the Doctor, "What you think is dangerous and what I think is dangerous are two very different things".

The Doctor gave the Hatter a small smile as Rose rolled her eyes at the two of them, "So, what's the date? How far we gone?"

"Hatter, you're good at dates," the Doctor said, not looking up from the controls, "You used to get top marks on just about everything".

The Hatter gave him a look to shut up and licked her finger putting it in the air for a moment before answering, "We're about 3,000 years into your future, give or take a year," the Doctor nodded slowly as he opened the roof, showing the stars.

"Hatter, keep going," the Doctor said.

"Doctor, are you testing me?" the Hatter asked, looking at him but all she got for an answer was a shrug, "It's the 51st century. Diagmar Cluster, as you very well know".

"You're a long way from home, Mickey!" the Doctor said, not showing that he had heard the Hatters last comment, "Two-and-a-half galaxies!"

Mickey walked over to a small porthole and looked out in awe. Rose walked up behind him and smiled at his face. The Hatter gave the Doctor a look, trying to see why he was getting her to say things that he already knew, but he seemed to be avoiding her eyes.

"Mickey Smith, meet the Universe," Rose smiled at him, "See anything you like?"

"It's so realistic!" Mickey said, transfixed by the view, making the Hatter laugh.

"Most defiantly just like Max's," the Hatter laughed, thinking about her past companion.

"Who?" Mickey asked, looking over to her.

"One of my first companions," the Hatter smiled at him, "He used to love looking at the star's".

"Dear me, had some cowboys in here!" the Doctor frowned, chucking a pieces of tech over his shoulder, "Got a ton of repair work going on," he said before looking at a screen with the ships diagram on it. He stopped what he was doing and Rose, Mickey walked back over to him, "Now that's odd, look at that," the Doctor turned to the Hatter who was frowning at the diagram, "What do you see?"

The Hatter gave him another look, "All the warp engines are going... at full capacity. There is enough power running through this ship to punch a hole in the Universe, as you already know".

"And we're not moving," the Doctor finished, ignoring her last comment, "So, where's all the power going?"

"Where'd all the crew go?" Rose asked, looking around.

The Doctor leaned over and pressed a button, "Good question, no life readings on board".

"And the plot thickens," the Hatter frowned, leaning closer to the screen.

"Well, we're in deep space, they didn't just nip back for a quick fag," Rose muttered sarcastically.

"Nope, checked all the smoking pods," the Doctor said, not taking any notices Rose quip. He turned around, all four of them just looking around the room as the Doctor and Hatter sniffed, "Can you smell that?"

"Yeah, someone's cooking," Rose sniffed.

"Sunday roast, definitely!" Mickey grinned.

"I don't know about you but I wouldn't want to be invited to the roast," the Hatter wrinkled her nose, feeling slightly sick.

The Doctor leant over the Hatter and pressed a button on the panel, a door opened behind them. They all turned and walked through, seeing a part of a wall and floor with 18th century decor set around a fireplace.

"Well, that something you don't see in your everyday spaceship," the Hatter commented, walking over to it, "I would say that it's 18th century, French".

"Nice mantel!" the Doctor grinned at the Hatter and also walking closer, pulling his sonic out, "Not a hologram," he bent down and looked at it closer as the Hatter did the same on the other side. Behind them, Rose and Mickey looked around the rest of the room.

"It's not a reproduction, this is actual an 18th century, French fireplace," the Hatter said looking over at the Doctor, "It's also double-sided; there's another room on the other side".

"Just what I was thinking," the Doctor nodded.

Rose looked out of another porthole on the same wall as the fire place looked through it, only to see space, "There can't be, that's the outer hull of the ship".

The Doctor crouched down, looking through the flames of the fire, into the other room to find a young girl with blond hair and dressed in a night gown, looking back at him.

"Hello!" the Doctor grinned at her, making the Hatter also crouch down next to him.

"Hi," the Hatter smiled at her.

"Hello..." the girl said trailing off.

"What's your name?" the Doctor asked glancing at the Hatter.

"Reinette," Reinette said.

"Reinette, that's a lovely name. Can you tell me where you are at the moment, Reinette?" the Doctor asked, still smiling at her.

Reinette blinked, surprised, "In my bedroom".

"And where's your bedroom?" the Hatter asked, smiling at her, "Where do you live, Reinette?"

"Paris, of course!" Reinette laughed.

"Paris, right!" the Doctor nodded.

"Monsieur, Madame, what are you doing in my fireplace?" Reinette asked, frowning.

"Oh, it's just a routine...fire check," the Doctor lied, "Can you tell us what year it is?"

"Of course I can! 1727," Reinette laughed again.

"I thought so," the Hatter mutated to the Doctor.

"Right, lovely!" the Doctor nodded, grinning, "One of my favourites...August is rubbish. Stay indoors. Okay, that's all for now. Thanks for your help. Hope you enjoy the rest of the fire. Night night".

"Goodnight Monsieur, Madame," Reinette said before getting up and moving away.

The Doctor stood up and then helped the Hatter to stand up.

"You said this was the 51st century," Mickey said confused looking at the Hatter.

"I also said this ship was generating enough power to punch a hole in the Universe," the Hatter frowned,

"I think we just found the hole," the Doctor added, "Must be a spatie-temporal hyperlink".

"What's that?" Mickey asked as the Hatter tried to stop herself from laughing.

"He hasn't got a clue," the Hatter laughed out right, "He just made it up because he didn't want to say 'magic door'."

The Doctor smiled as the Hatter continued to laugh, Rose cleared her throat.

"And on the other side of the 'magic door' is France in 1727?" Rose asked, slightly annoyed at the Doctor and Hatter.

The Doctor nodded and walked back over to the fireplace with the Hatter following. He shrugged his coat off and passed it to the Hatter who chucked it over her shoulder, smiling at the Doctor when he looked at her.

"Well, she was speaking French," the Doctor shrugged, "Right period French, too".

"She was speaking English, I heard her," Mickey exclaimed.

"Rose, want to take that one?" the Hatter asked, walking over to the Doctor.

Rose rolled her eyes slightly and walked over to Mickey, "That's the TARDIS, translates for ya".

"Even French?" Mickey asked.

"Every language but High Gallifreyan," the Hatter said over her shoulder as she stood next to the Doctor who was fiddling with something under the mantle, "What have you found now?"

"Gotcha!" the Doctor cried as the mantle started moving, making Hatter grab hold of his arm so she didn't fall off.

"Doctor!" Rose yelled, rushing forward but she was too late.

When they had stopped turning, the Hatter went to hit the Doctor but he put his finger to his lips and pointed to behind her. The Hatter turned around to see that they were now standing in a dark bedroom were the little girl, Reintte was sleeping in her bed.

The Hatter frowned as she heard ticking coming from a clock some were in the room. Something about it wasn't right but she couldn't put her finger on what it was.

The Doctor walked over to a window on the other side of the room and peered out to see a cold winter morning. The sound of a horse neighing outside suddenly woke Reintte up. She sat up quickly, making the bed creak underneath her, the Doctor and Hatter turned away from the window.

"It's okay!" the Doctor said quickly as they both held up their hands, "Don't scream! It's us, fireplace people. Look," the Doctor walked over to her bedside table and lit a candle with the sonic but it didn't help much, "We were talking, just a moment ago. We were in your fireplace".

"Monsieur, Madame, that was weeks ago," Reintte said looking in between them both, "That was mouths!"

The Doctor blinked in surprise and glanced at the Hatter who was doing the same thing, "Really? Oh," he walked back over to the fire place were the Hatter was now knocking on it and listing to the sound.

"It must be a lose connection," the Hatter said thoughtfully.

"Need to get a man in," the Doctor added, doing the same thing as the Hatter.

"Who are you? And what are you doing here?" Reintte asked, watching them from the bed.

The Hatter straighter up to reply when she saw the clock on the mantle was broken, the glass was shattered, not moving but there was still a noise. The Hatter grabbed the Doctors arm and showed him.

"Okay, that's scary..." the Doctor said, staring at the clock.

"When we first arrived here I thought something was going on but now..." the Hatter shook her head, trailing off.

"You're scared of a broken clock?" Reintte asked, sceptically.

"Just a little," the Hatter said as the Doctor turned around, putting his self in front of her.

"Like Hatter said, yeah. Just a little tiny bit. 'Cos you see, if this clock's broken, and it's the only clock in the room..." the Doctor trailed off as the ticking grew louder, "Then what's that?"

Reintte looked around, now noticing the ticking sound and becoming more scared. The Doctor and the Hatter didn't move from where they were standing, and quietly, the Hatter said to Reintte, "Because you see that's not a clock. You can tell by the resonance. It's too big. About six feet, I would say. The same size of a man, come to think of it".

"What is it?" Reintte asked, fearful.

The Doctor moved forward, giving the Hatter a look telling her to stay right there and he slowly moved the curtains back to find nothing there. Quickly glancing back over to check that the Hatter was still standing were he had left her he gave the room another look, "Now, let's think. If you were a thing that ticks and you were hiding in someone's bedroom, the first thing you do: break the clock".

"Because no one notices the sound of one ticking, but two? You might start to wonder if you're really alone," the Hatter said as the Doctor walked over to Reintte's bed and crouched down, pulling out his sonic, "Ok, Reintte stay on the bed. Right in the middle. Don't put your hands or feet over the edge and keep looking right at me".

The Hatter tried to smiled at the little girl and watch the Doctor at the same time. The Doctor peered underneath the bed, turning his sonic to scan when something smacked him, sending him flying backwards, the screwdriver nearly flying out of his hands. Both Reinette and the Hatter gasped while the Doctor scrabbled back to the bed. The Hatter quickly ran over to him as he looked under the bed again before slowly looking back up to see a man wearing aristocratic dress on the other side of Reinette's bed.

"Reinette..." the Doctor started to whisper but stoped when the Hatter started talking.

"Reinette, I need you to keep looking at me, okay?" the Hatter said, making herself sound calm, "Everything is going to be fine just keep looking at me".

The Doctor sent the Hatter a grateful look before slowly standing up, he glanced at Reinette who was still looking at the Hatter, and back to the figure and back to Reinette, as he realised that it was doing something to her.

"Hold still let me look..." the Doctor bent down next to the Hatter and took Reinette's face in his hands, looking her in the eyes before looking at the figure in shock, "You've been scanning her brain!" he said as the Hatter gasped as she realised that she had completely missed it.

The Doctor glanced at Reinette's worried face before standing up, "What, you've crossed two galaxies and thousands of years just to scan a child's brain?" he asked as the Hatter tried not to look horrified so not to scare Reinette even more, " What, could there be in a little girls mind worth blowing a hole in the Universe?"

A very good question, the Hatter thought as she looked out of the corner of her eye at what the Doctor was doing.

"I don't understand...it wants me?" Reinette asked before turning to look at the figure, "You want me?"

"It's alright Reinette…" the Hatter started to say but she was cut across by the figure.

"Not yet. You are incomplete," the figure said in mechanical tone.

"Incomplete?" the Doctor and the Hatter asked at the same time before the Doctor went on, "What's that mean 'incomplete?"

The figure didn't answer, just stared at Reinette. The Doctor moved to stand in front of the bed giving the Hatter a look when she went to move with him, and pulled out the sonic again and pointed it at the figure.

"I so have to build a new sonic screwdriver," the Hatter mutated and then held up her hands when the Doctor gave her a look that she usually gave him, "Yes, I know Doctor, time and place".

The Doctor looked back at the droid, still holding the sonic up like a sword, "You can answer her, you can answer me. What do you mean incomplete?"

And again the droid didn't answer; instead, it walked around Reinette's bed in a funny jerky motion to face the Doctor. It extended its arm and a blade slide out near the Doctors face. The Doctor titled his head back from it as the Hatter jumped up from the floor and started to move closer but the Doctor sent her another look to stay back.

'I'm so going to punch him if he gives me one more look,' the Hatter thought but stayed back.

"Monsieur, be careful!" Reinette cried, still sitting on her bed.

"Just a nightmare, Reinette, Don't worry about it," the Doctor said looking at the droid, "Everyone has nightmares," he started to back away and slowly the Hatter followed them, as the droid made swiping motions, the Doctor jumped back until they reached the fireplace with the Hatter just behind them, "Even monster from under the bed have nightmares, don't you, monster?" the droid slashed at him again but the Doctor moved out of the way and it hit the mantel, getting it's blade stuck.

"What do monster have nightmares about?" Reinetter asked as the Hatter join the Doctor at the mantel.

The Doctor seeing that the Hatter was holding on to the mantel, jerked the mantel up and shouted, "Us, ha!"

"Doctor!" Rose yelled as the mantel turned around and the Hatter stepped away so the Doctor could get the droid with the fire extinguisher, freezing it in place.

"Excellent, ice gun!" Mickey exclaimed.

"Sorry Mickey, but it's just a fire extinguisher I don't like any type of gun ice or not," the Hatter said, patting him on the shoulder as the Doctor handed it over to him.

"Were did that thing come from?" Rose asked, pointing at the droid.

"Here," the Doctor said and the Hatter nodded.

"So why is it dressed like that?" Mickey asked, nodding to the droid.

"It went on a little field trip to France," the Hatter said, "I'm guesses it's some sort of basic camouflage protocol".

"Nice needlework!" the Doctor said, walking closer to the droid, "Shame about the face," he pulled the mask off to revile an ornate clockwork mechanism covered with clear plastic, "Oh, you are beautiful!"

"Oh, I so wish you were on our side," the Hatter sighed, looking at the clock work, "You really are stunning".

"Space age work clockwork, I love it! I've got Chills!" the Doctor grinned, showing the Hatter his arm before turning back, "Listen, seriously, I mean this from the hart, and count those, it would be a crime, an act of vandalism to dissemble you," he said, "But that won't stop me". He slowly pulled out his sonic screwdriver.

The droid suddenly creaked back into life. A moment later it teleported away. Rose and Mickey blinked and looked around, trying to see where it had gone. The Doctor frowned, putting his sonic away before walking swiftly over to the fireplace.

"Short rang teleport, it can't have gone far," the Hatter said, watching the Doctor, "It's most likely still on board".

"What is it?" Rose asked.

The Doctor turned around and pointed to Rose and Mickey, "Don't go looking for it!" he then turned to the Hatter, "And that goes double for you!"

"Yes father," the Hatter rolled her eyes and started playing with the end of her scarf.

"Where're you going?"

"Back in a sec," the Doctor grinned as he returned to Reinette's side of the fireplace.

Rose walked over and grabbed the fire extinguisher from Mickey's hands much to his confusion.

"He said not to go looking for it..." Mickey said.

"Yeah, he did," Rose smirked at Mickey as he walked over to the wall and grabbed another fire extinguisher, "Now you're getting it".

The Hatter frowned at them, "I don't think it's a good idea for you two to go".

"Like you're not going to go poking around," Rose glared at her.

"I just don't want either of you to get hurt because I didn't try to stop you," the Hatter frowned at Rose, "Look, Rose, I know you don't like me very much, for whatever reason that is, but I don't want to see either of you hurt".

"Whatever, come on, Mickey," Rose said, giving the Hatter a dirty look as she walked out.

"Sorry about, Rose," Mickey said as he past the Hatter, "It's just she thinks that you and the Doctor are a little closer than just friends and she knows that you know him better then he knows his own self".

"Thanks Mickey," the Hatter smiled at him, "I am never going to understand humans and I was one for five years".

"Mickey!" Rose yelled from somewhere down the corridor.

"You had better go," the Hatter smiled at Mickey as he past her.

The Hatter walked over and waited a few minutes before the Doctor came back around, looking slightly dazed.

"You know, Doctor, I don't think you're really the type to wear perfume," the Hatter laughed as he blushed, "Making friends or Making _friends_".

The Doctor muttered something about woman and looked around and frowned, "Where's Rose and Mickey?"

"I tried to stop them Doctor," the Hatter sighed, "But you know how Rose is and she got Mickey to follow".

The Doctor nodded and walked over and put and arm around the Hatter's should as they walked down the corridor. They turned a corridor before stopping in there tracks to find a horse.

"You have got to be joking," the Hatter laughed stepping away from the Doctor to pat the horse, "Now I have seen everything".

"I'm still waiting to see a Sontaran with a sense of humour," the Doctor smirked at the Hatter as she cracked up laughing again.

"That'll be the day," the Hatter laughed before turning serious, "Now we had better stop _horsing_ about and find your companions."

The Doctor laughed and followed her down the corridor before turning around when he felt the horse sniffing him.

"Would you stop following me?" the Doctor said, turning around and putting up his hand to the horse, "I'm not your mother".

"Could have fooled me," the Hatter joked before finding a pair of doors, "Is this were you came from horsey?"

"Looks like it," the Doctor said, stepping forward and opening it, walking out with the Hatter.

"Hey, Doctor, it's your girlfriend!" the Hatter laughed, pointing at a blonde woman walking with a friend.

"How do you know that Reinette is her?" the Doctor asked before frowning, "And she's not my girlfriend!"

"Really Doctor, I worked it out when we first met her," the Hatter smiled at him before ducking behind a stone pillar as Reinette looked over, "She's Madame de Pompadour, the king's mistress".

"You really are a genius," the Doctor grinned at her before ducking back down again, "It makes me even more glade that you dropped that book on my head when we were in school".

"I was a little clumsy in my first body," the Hatter said before looking back over to the woman, "I still find it hard to believe that you had a book fall on you head and then ended up laughing, then you asked me to sit with you at the table with the Master and the Rani as if we had always been friends".

"You looked lonely and plus I was sick of listing the Master and the Rain fight," the Doctor shrugged as they got up and walked over to the doors, back to the spaceship.

"Me being their didn't stop them for very long," the Hatter said as they walked down the corridor, "They started fighting again over who did better at school".

"But at least I had someone to talk to about why I thought humans were brilliant," the Doctor said, "I was amazed when you said that you also thought they were brilliant".

"And that was the start of a beautiful friendship," the Hatter smiled at the Doctor before stopping, "Doctor, can you hear that?"

The Doctor and the Hatter stoped as they heard Mickey's voices.

"Maybe it wasn't a real heart," Mickey's said.

The Doctor and the Hatter looked at each other as they peered around the corner to see Mickey and Rose walking down the corridor.

"Course it was a real heart," Rose said.

"Is this like normal for you?" Mickey asked Rose "Is this like an average day?"

"It is if you're called the Doctor," the Hatter whispered to the Doctor.

"Life with the Doctor, Mickey, no more average days," Rose shrugged as they came to a stop by a window with a view of a luxurious 18th century room.

"Come on," the Hatter whispered to the Doctor, "Lets sneak up behind them".

"Just like old times," the Doctor grinned at her before they started to walk behind Mickey and Rose.

"It's France again," Mickey said, not seeing the Doctor or the Hatter join them, standing just behind him, "We can see France".

"I think we're looking through a mirror," Rose commented.

They watched as the room's doors opened and a man walked in with two servants, "Blimey, look at this guy," Mickey muttered, "Who does he think he is?"

"King of France," the Doctor and the Hatter said at the same time, making Rose and Mickey jump.

"Oh, here's trouble," Rose smiled at the Doctor and ignored the Hatter, "What you been up to?"

"Oh this and that," the Doctor shrugged, "Become the imaginary friend of a future French aristocrat...picked a fight with a clockwork man..." the white horse from earlier neighed behind them, "Oh, and we met a horse".

"Personally my favourite part was the horse," the Hatter remarked.

"I knew you would say that," the Doctor grinned at her before turning back to the widow.

"What's a horse doing on a spaceship?" Mickey asked, confused.

"Mickey, what's pre-revolutionary France doing on a spaceship?" the Doctor retorted, "Get a little perspective".

The Hatter hit the Doctor on his arm making him jump, "What did I do?"

"Being rude again, Doctor," the Hatter smiled innocently, "Just doing what you mother would have done".

The Doctor shock his head and turned back to the widow, "See these?" he asked, pointing at the widow, "They're all over the place. On every deck. Gateways to history. But not just any old history..." he said before the Hatter talked over the top of him.

"There window's deliberately arrange along the life of one of one particular woman," the Hatter pointed at a woman now talking with the King, "A spaceship from the 51st century stalking a woman from the 18th".

"Why?" the Doctor added, nodding along with the Hatter.

"Who is she?" Rose asked the Doctor.

"Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson, known to her friends as Reinette," the Doctor said, "One of the most accomplished women who ever lived".

"So has she got plans of being the queen, then?" Rose asked.

"No, he's already got a queen," the Hatter answered.

"She's got plans on becoming his mistress," the Doctor nodded.

"Oh, I get it," Rose grinned at Mickey, "Camilla".

Mickey and Rose laughed.

"You know, Doctor, I think this is the night they met," the Hatter said, thoughtfully, "The night of the Yew Tree Ball".

The Doctor nodded, "In no time flat, she'll get herself established as his official mistress, with her own rooms at the palace... even her own title, Madame de Pompadour".

Reinette turned to the window they were looking through, the mirror and preened herself, unknowing that they were watching her.

"Queen must have loved her..." Rose scoffed.

"You would be surprised," the Hatter said.

"Oh, she did," the Doctor again not noticing Rose quip, "They get on very well".

"The king's wife and the king's girlfriend?" Mickey asked, shocked.

"France," the Doctor shrugged, "It's a different planet".

"Doctor, something's not right with this room," the Hatter frowned, trying to look behind Reinette, "I just can't work out what it is yet".

The Doctor frowned as Reinette turned around, seeing someone standing beside one of the windows, "How long have you been standing there?" Reinette called to the figure, "Show yourself!"

The figure slowly turned to show it to be a clock work droid. A moment later it started to walk, in jerky motion towards Reinette.

"There's our signal," the Hatter said as the Doctor grabbed the fire extinguisher from Mickey and stepped into Reinette's would, followed by Rose, Mickey, and the Hatter as Reinette step off to the side.

"Hello, Reinette!" the Doctor called to her, rushing forward, "Hasn't time flown?"

"See, you get to make remarks like that but I don't," the Hatter muttered but the Doctor didn't take any notice.

"Fireplace people!" Reinette gasped, seeing the Hatter and the Doctor.

The Doctor rushed over to the droid and sprayed it before tossing the fire extinguisher back to Mickey. The droid tried to move but it was to frozen in place.

"What's it doing?" Mickey asked

"It's trying to switch back on," the Hatter explained for the Doctor, "Melting the ice".

"And then what?" Rose asked.

"Then it kills ever one in the room," the Doctor said, watching the droid. The droids arm suddenly shot out towards the Doctor throat, the Hatter grabbed the back of his suit to pull him back. He nodded thanks to her, "Focuses the mind, doesn't it?" he asked, "Who are you? Identify yourself".

The droid didn't answer.

"I thought that would be too easy," the Hatter sighed before looking at Reinette, "Order it to answer him, please".

"Why should it answer me?" Reinette asked.

"I don't know," the Hatter shrugged before she smiled at her, "It did when you were a kid".

"Let's see if you've still got it," the Doctor said quietly to her.

Reinette straightened herself and turned to the droid, "Answer his question. Answer any and all questions put to you".

The droid lowered its arm, "I am Repair Droid Seven".

The Doctor nodded, "So what happened to the ship, then? There was a lot of damage".

"Ion storm, eighty two percent systems failure".

"But the ship hasn't moved in a year," the Hatter frowned, "What's taking so long?"

"We did not have the parts".

Mickey laughed at that as the Hatter nodded slowly, already knowing what the droid was getting at, "Always comes down to that, doesn't it? The parts"

"What happened to the crew, where are they?" the Doctor asked, still not getting it.

"We did not have the parts," the droid repeated, much to the Doctor annoyance.

"There should have been over fifty people on your ship," the Doctor said, getting more aggravated, "Where did they go?"

"Doctor, as much fun it is to watch you try to work it out, how about I give you a hint?" the Hatter said, smiling at the Doctor, "The only thing they had was the crew so they..."

The Doctor blinked at the Hatter for a moment before gasping in realization, "Oh. You didn't have the parts...so you used the crew".

"And he finely get's it," the Hatter said.

"The crew?" Mickey asked, confused.

"We found a camera with an eye in it..." Rose told them, "And there was a heart...wired in to machinery".

The Hatter and the Doctor nodded, recalling hearing Rose and Mickey talking about it earlier.

"It was just doing what it was programmed to," the Doctor sighed, "Repairing the ship any way it can, with whatever it could find. No one told it the crew weren't on the menu".

"What did you guys said the flight deck smelled like?" the Hatter said, looking around at them, "And I told you that you wouldn't like to be invited to?"

"Someone cooking..." Rose said.

"A Sunday roast," the Doctor nodded, "Flesh plus heat. Barbeque".

"Charming, isn't it?" the Hatter sighed.

The Doctor turned back to the droid, "But what are you doing here? You've opened up time widows, that takes colossal energy. Why come here, you could have gone to your repair yard. Instead you come to 18th century France? Why?"

"One more part is required," the droid replied, turning to look at Reinette.

"Then why haven't you taken it?" the Hatter asked.

"She is incomplete," the droid said.

"What...so that's the plan then?" the Doctor asked, "Just keep opening time windows, scanning her brain, checking to see if 'it's done'".

"Why her?" Rose asked, "You've got all of history to choose from, why specifically her?"

"We are the same," the droid said.

"We are not the same; we are in no sense the same!" Reinette stepped forward.

"We are the same".

The Hatter frowned and glanced at the Doctor who was also frowning.

"Get out of here!" Reinette shouted, getting angry, "Get out of here this instant!"

"Reinette no...!" the Doctor and the Hatter called, but the droid used the teleport and disappeared, "It's back on the ship," the Doctor said, turning to Rose, Mickey, and the Hatter, "Hatter, stay with me. Rose, take Mickey and Arthur slash Oliver, go after it. Follow it, don't approach it, just watch what it does".

"Arthur slash Oliver?" Rose asked, turning back to the mirror.

"It's Oliver," the Hatter said, smiling, "Who would name a horse Arthur?"

"Either way, there good name's for a horse," the Doctor said.

"No, you're not keeping the horse!" Rose said, exasperated.

"I let you keep Mickey!" the Doctor said, moving away from the Hatter's hand, "Now go, go, go!"

Mickey and Rose turned running back through the mirror and on to the ship. The Doctor closed the door, behind them before turning back to the Hatter, "I need you to keep a look out."

"Just like old times," the Hatter grinned at him before rushing over to the door, looking out.

"Reinette, you're gonna have to trust me," the Doctor said, turning to Reinette, "I need to find out what they're looking for; there's only one way to do that. It won't hurt a bit".

Reinette nodded and the Doctor put his fingers to her temples.

"Fireplace man..." Reinette gasped a moment later, "You are inside my mind!"

"Oh, dear Reinette," the Doctor sighed, "You've had some cowboys in here".

"You are in my memories," Reinette said in slight surprise, "You walk among them".

"If there's anything you don't want me to see, just imagine a door and close it," the Doctor said, "I won't look. Ooh...actually...there's a door just there".

Reinette opened her eyes and smiled slyly up at him.

"You might want to clo...ooh," the Doctor muttered, "Actually, several".

"To walk among the memories of another living soul...do you ever get used to this?"

"I don't make a habit of it," the Doctor said.

"How can you resist?" Reinette grinned at him again.

The Doctor frowned, "What age are you?"

"So impertinent a question so early in the conversation," Reinette said, "How promising".

"No, not my question, theirs. You're 23 and for some reason, that means you're not old enough..." Reinette flinched back from the Doctor, "Sorry, you might find old memories reawaken. Side effect".

"Oh, such a lonely childhood..." Reinette breathed.

"It'll pass. Stay with me".

"Oh, Doctor," she went on, "So lonely. So very alone, until her..."

"What do you mean, alone? You've never been alone in your life..." the Doctor eyes snapped open, "When did you start calling me 'Doctor'?"

"Such a lonely little boy. And so was she," Reinette said sadly, looking up at the Doctor, "Two lonely children meeting each other," she glanced over to the doorway, "But is it still just as simple as friendship?"

"How did you do that?" the Doctor asked, backing away from Reinette.

"A door, once opened, can be stepped through in either direction..." Reinette said, "My Doctor, so confused by your feelings for two women. The woman who saved you from the darkness and the woman who has always been there, but which one do you love more?"

The Doctor stared at her, completely lost for words. Reinette walked closer to him.

"My confused Doctor, dance with me," Reinette said.

"I can't," the Doctor said.

"Dance with me," Reinette said again.

"This is the night you dance with the king," the Doctor said.

"Then first, I shall make him jealous," Reinette said, smiling up at him.

"I can't".

"The Doctor...Doctor who?" Reinette asked him, shaking her head, "The Hatter who?"

"What did you see?" the Doctor asked, glancing over to the door.

"It's more than just a secret isn't it?" Reinette asked, "There comes a time, Time lord, when every little boy must learn to dance".

Reinette took the Doctor's hand and walked him to the door were the Doctor then took the Hatter's hand and walked to the ball room together.

_**The Hatter was a little out of charterer early, with not following Mickey and Rose to look around but I really wanted the Doctor and the Hatter to have some time together without Rose or Mickey getting in the way. Also, the Doctor and the Hatter first met in the Academies library when they were about twenty or so years old each, and after that they become friends very quickly. I'm also thinking about writing a few flashbacks in a few chapters, anyway, I hope you liked it, please review :)**_

_**Edited 27/4/2013. **_


	6. Chapter 6 girl in the fireplace part 2

_**The girl in the fireplace part 2**_

"What's going on?" Rose asked as soon as she opened her eyes. She was strapped to a table with one of the clockwork droids staring down at her, "Doctor?"

"Rose?" Mickey's voices called from Roses right, he was also strapped to a table, looking scared, "There're gonna chop us up. Just like the crew, there're gonna chop us up and stick us all over their stupid spaceship. And where's the Doctor? Where's the precious Doctor now? He and the Hatter have been gone for flipping hours, that's where he is!"

"You are combatable," one of the droids said, moving closer to Rose.

"Well..." Rose said, trying to buy time, "You...you might wanna think about that. You really, really might because...me and Mickey...we didn't come her alone, oh no! And trust me; you wouldn't wanna mess with our designated driver..."

"And his best friend!" Mickey added as the droid next to Rose thrust a sharp bland next to Rose's face.

Rose leaned back as much as she could, "Ever hear of the Daleks? Remember them? They had name for our friend. They had myths about him, and a name. They called him the..."

She trailed off as they heard a loud banging in the distance and the sound of laughter as they heard the Doctor's voices and the Hatter's, singing a song.

"I could've danced all night, I could've danced all night..." the Doctor and the Hatter voices were signing, drunkenly.

"They called him the..." Rose glanced at the direction of the signing, "They called him the...the..."

The Doctor and the Hatter suddenly stagged into the room, dancing with each other. The Doctor was wearing the Hatters hat on his head and a pair of sunglass, carrying a glass of wine while the Hatter had the Doctor's tie tied around her head and her scarf wrapped around her waist.

"And still begged for moooore..." they both sang, dancing in unbalanced circles around the room, "I could've spread my wings and done a thou..." they both trailed off and stoped to lean against each other, "Have you met the French?" the Doctor asked as the Hatter started to madly giggle, still leaning against each other, "My GOD, they know how to party".

"Oh, look what the cat dragged in," Rose remarked sarcastically, "The Oncoming Storm".

"Oh, you sound just like your mother," the Doctor grimaced before grabbing the Hatter's hands and twirling her around before back to him.

"What've you been doing? Where've you been?"

"Well...among other things...I think I just invented the banana daiquiri a few centuries early," the Doctor grinned madly as he stopped spinning the Hatter and she stubbled drunkenly over to Mickey.

"Hey, Mickey, you're never going to guess what the King of France and I were just doing," the Hatter giggled a little before saying in a loud whisper, "Juggling wine bottles".

"Right...that's great," Mickey said, glancing over to Rose.

"Did you know that the French have never seen a Banana before?" the Doctor asked, stumbling over to Rose, "Always bring a Banana to a party, Rose. Bananas are GOOD," he then turned to look at the droid still standing with its blade out.

"Oh, ho, ho, ho, ho, brilliant!" the Doctor cheered and the Hatter stubbled over to him, clapping, "It's you! You're my favourite, you are, you are the best! Do you know why? 'Cos you're so THICK. You're Mister Thick, thick, thickity thick face from Thicktown, Thickania," he started walking back before throwing over his shoulder, "And so's you dad," he walked over to the Hatter, kissing her on the cheek, making her giggle madly, "Do you know what they were scanning Reinette's brain for?" he asked, sniggering, "Her milometer. They wanna know how old she is. Know why?"

"Why?" Rose asked.

"Cos the ship is 37 years old," the Doctor said as the Hatter started giggling about something, "And they think that when Reinette is 37, when she is 'complete', than her brain will be compatible. So, that's what you're missing isn't it?" he asked the droid, "Hmmm? Command circuit. Your computer. Your ship needs a brain. And for some reason, God knows what, only the brain of Madame de Pompadour will do".

"The brain is compatible," the Droid said.

"Compatible?" the Doctor asked, walking towards the droid, "If you believe that, you probably believe this is a glass of wine," he pulled off the droids mask and the Hatter stopped laughing, watching as the Doctor pored 'wine' on top of the droids head.

"Multigrain anti-oil," the Hatter said completely sober, "If it moves it doesn't".

"Doctor!" Rose yelled.

The Hatter and the Doctor looked over to see the other droids start to move towards them. The Doctor quickly rushed over to the control panel and pulled a leaver, making the Droids deactivated.

"Right, you two, that's enough lying about..." the Doctor said as he sonic Mickey and Rose restrains, "Time we get the rest of the ship turned off".

"It's been a long time sense I was drunk or had to pretend I was, anyway," the Hatter remarked, pulling the Doctor's tie off her head, "I think the last time was when the Doctor was in his fifth body. Sad thing is, I can't really remember much of that meeting. From what my companions at the time told us, we both ended up getting thrown out of some dance club because we were taking up to much dance room floor space".

"I thought we agreed to never talk about that night," the Doctor said, giving the Hatter her hat, "Not after what happened in that wardrobe... and...just, I thought we were never going to talk about it".

"I still think our companies just told us that to get us back," the Hatter said, watching the Doctor try to do up his tie, "Oh, let me do it".

"Why? What did they tell you that you did?" Mickey asked, rubbing his wrist.

The Hatter and the Doctor didn't say anything, both to over focused on the tie and avoiding looking at each other's eyes.

"Story time later, Mickey," the Hatter said after doing the tie up.

"Hey, you never said if these things are safe," Mickey said.

"Safe and thick," the Doctor said, helping the Hatter with her scarf, "Way I like them. Okay, all the time windows are controlled from here. I need to close them all down," he started looking through his pockets, "Zeus plugs, Hatter, have you seen them any were?"

"You were using them as castanets, last time I checked," the Hatter remained him.

"Why didn't they just open a time window to when she was thirty-seven?" Rose asked, frowning at how close the Doctor was standing next to the Hatter.

"With the amount of damage to these circuits, they'll be lucky to hit the right century," the Hatter answered for the Doctor, "It's all trial and a lot of errors".

"The widows aren't closing," the Doctor frowned, pushing a button, "Why won't they close?"

"What's that?" Rose asked as something went ping.

"Cakes ready," the Hatter remarked, looking around, "I wish".

"I don't know...incoming message?" the Doctor frowned.

"From who?" Mickey asked.

"It must be a report from the field...one of them must still be out there with Reinette," the Hatter said, thoughtful.

"That's why I can't close the windows, there's an override!" the Doctor sighed.

There was a whirring noise behind them as one of the droids sprang back in to life. They all turned around and watched as the droid expelled the so called 'wine' on to the Doctors shoes.

"Their cleverer than I thought," the Hatter said in slight amusement at the Doctors face.

"Just a bit...yeah," the Doctor said, moving backing away from the droid as they started moving again, "Many things about this are not good," he said as another ping sounded, "Message from one of your little friends? Anything interesting?"

"She is complete," One of the droids replied, "It begins".

And with that, they teleported away.

"Just brilliant," the Hatter sighed.

"What's happening?" Rose asked.

"One of them must've found the right time window, and now it's time to send in the troops," the Doctor said grimily, "And this time they're bringing back her head".

"Well, I think it's time to warn Reinette about her little visitors," the Hatter said.

...

Rose run in to the room after warning Reinette to find the Doctor and the Hatter frantically working at opening window, Mickey was standing off to the side, watching.

"You found it, then?" Rose asked, walking over to Mickey.

"Yep, but they knew that we were coming...and blocked it off," the Hatter said over her shoulder, "It's just typical".

Rose looked through the window, "I don't get it. How come they got in there?"

"They teleported," the Doctor said over his shoulder, "You saw them. As long as the ship and the ballroom are linked, their short-range teleported will do the trick".

"Which is just unfair," the Hatter remarked.

"Well, we'll go in the TARDIS!" Rose said.

"If only it was that easy, Rose," the Hatter sighed, looking over her shoulder, "We're part of events now".

"Well, can't we just smash through it?" Mickey asked.

"Hyperplex this side, plate glass on the other!" the Doctor said, "We would need a truck!"

"We don't have a truck," Mickey stated.

"I know we don't have a truck!" the Doctor shouted.

"Well, we've gotta try something!" Rose cried.

"No, smash the glass, smash the time windows, there'd be no way back," the Doctor said.

"Oh, I don't know about that," the Hatter smiled at him, "You see, I was in Versailles a year after all of this and I heard a lot of stories about a man jumping through a mirror on a white horse. I wonder who that could have been".

"Brilliant," the Doctor grinned at her, "Arthur slash Oliver, come here boy!"

"But you said that if you smash the time widows you would be trapped," Rose said.

The Doctor didn't reply as he nodded at the Hatter, getting ready to jump.

...

After the Doctor jumped, Rose ran forward and stared at the bracken glass.

"What happened?" Mickey asked the Hatter, "Where did the time window go? How's he gonna get back?"

"Good question, Mickey," Rose said not turning around, "How is he getting back?"

The Hatter didn't answer for a moment, "I'm not sure".

...

An hour or two later, Rose, Mickey, and the Hatter hadn't talked.

"We can't fly the TARDIS without him," Mickey broke the silences, "Can we?" he asked, forgetting that the Hatter could and Rose was too upset to really be listening.

The Hatter smiled to herself, already knowing that the Doctor would be returning soon. She could still remember being told the story when she was younger and wondering if it was the Doctor but she couldn't sense him anywhere so he must have found a way to get back.

...

A couple of hours later and finely, the Doctor returned out of the room were the fireplace was. As soon as Rose saw him, she flew over to him and hugged him.

"How long did you wait?" the Doctor asked, hugging Rose back.

"Five-and-a-half hours!" Rose grinned and laughing a little.

"Right, always wait five-and-a-half hours," the Doctor grinned, turning to hug Mickey but changed his mind and shook Mickey's hand instead before turning to the Hatter who was leaning against a wall, smiling at him, "Now, you. Don't I get a hug?"

The Hatter rolled her eyes but walked over, hugged him as she smiled. The hug lasted a little longer then Rose's, something that she saw strait away and frowned at them.

"How did you know that he was coming back?" Mickey asked as they pulled apart but the Doctor still had an arm over the Hatter's shoulders.

"I would have sensed him when I was there the first time but I didn't and that's how I knew," the Hatter shrugged, "Sorry about not telling you two but I thought you would enjoy the surprises".

"But when we asked you how he was getting back, you said you didn't know," Mickey frowned slightly.

"Because I didn't know how he would get back only that he would," the Hatter said.

"Where've you been?" Rose asked a little annoyed at the Hatter.

"Explain later," the Doctor spun around, "Into the TARDIS; be with you in a sec".

They watched as he rushed over to the fireplace and called Reinettes name before going in to her world.

"Rose, Mickey, please wait inside the TARDIS," the Hatter said quietly, having a good idea of what the Doctor would be told on the other side.

Rose went to ague but Mickey grabbed her hand and pulled her in to the TARDIS. The Hatter walked over and stood next to the fireplace and waited for the Doctor. After five minters, the Doctor retuned looking upset.

"I'm so sorry, Doctor," the Hatter said, giving him a hug before slowly walking over the TARDIS, "I know that you and Reinette were very close".

"Thank you," the Doctor gave her a small, sad smile as they walked in to the TARDIS were Rose and Mickey were waiting.

"Why her?" Rose asked after a moment, "Why did they think they could fix the ship with the head of Madame de Pompadour?"

"We will probably never know," the Doctor sighed, "There was massive damage in the computer memory base. Probably got confused".

"Luck you have me then," the Hatter said, "The ship is called The S.S Madame de Pompadour and they had a painting of her. You guys just didn't see it because we parked in front of it".

"How did you see it then?" Mickey asked.

"When you and Rose were talking, I had a little snoop around," the Hatter shrugged.

The Doctor nodded and walked over to the consol and started pushing buttons, "The TARDIS can close down the windows not that the droids are gone. Should stop it coursing any trouble".

"Are you alright?" Rose asked after a moment.

"I'm always alright," the Doctor said, making the Hatter give him a look.

"Come on Rose, it's time you showed me around the rest of this place," Mickey said, pulling Rose away.

The Hatter walked over to the Doctor and gave him a hug, "I really am sorry. I will be in my room if you want to talk," she said before walking away, giving the Doctor one more smile.

The Doctor watched her walk away before pulling out the letter Reinette left him.

_My dear Doctor._

_The path has never seemed more slow, and yet I fear I am nearing its end. Reason tells me that you and I are unlikely to meet again. But I think I shall not listen to reason. I have seen the world inside your head, the incredible people you know, and know that all things are possible. Hurry though, my love. My days grow shorter now, and I am so very weak. I live for the day I shall see you again. I shall meet those who live in your heart and also pray that you will work through your confusion and find the one you love._

_God speed, my lonely angel._

The Doctor finished the letter and tucked it away. He looked over at the monitor to see an image of the fireplace; he leant over and hit a button on the console, turning the monitor off and the link before walking down the hallway.

_**Edited 28/4/2013.**_

_**I thought about writing more at the end of this Chapter with the Doctor and the Hatter talking with each other, but I couldn't think of what they could talk about. I hope you liked it, Please review :)**_


	7. Chapter 7 Rise of the cyberman part 1

"And that weird muchkin lady with the big eyes?" the Doctor laughed in the middle of retelling a story to Mickey as the Hatter walked in. The Doctor and Rose were slumped on the captain's chair laughing as Mickey stood next to the console pressing something that the Hatter couldn't see from where she was walking but she guessed that the Doctor had told Mickey to do so.

"Do you remember? The way she looked at you!" the Doctor asked Rose still laughing, "And then she opens her mouth and fire comes out!"

Rose let out an ear piercing shriek of laughter, "I thought I was gonna get frazzled!"

"Yeah! One minute she's standing there, and the next minute-rawwwh!" the Doctor laughed mimicking fire coming out of his mouth as Rose did the same thing before going back to laughing all over again, "It reminds me of when me and the Hatter blew up the Rani's laboratory and the Rani was still working inside it".

"I remember that," the Hatter smiled making everyone jump not seeing her first enter, "For a moment there I thought the Rani was going to breathe fire or kill us but luckily for us she was too busy yelling and calling us every swear word in the Universe,"

"And then there was that time we accidently set fire to the Master's bedroom when he was off studying and we started running around the room trying to put it out when he walked in," the Doctor laughed making the Hatter crack up laughing as well, "I can still remember the Master trying to strangle me and you trying to pull him off me".

The Doctor and the Hatter cracked up laughing again and Mickey glanced at Rose who was glaring at the Hatter. Mickey looked around for something to say and thought about what the Doctor and Rose had been talking about before. Clearing his throat he looked over at Rose, "Where was that, again? What happened?"

Rose gave Mickey a small smiled and went to answer but the Doctor got there first, "Oh, it was on this um...uh, this...uh planet thing, asteroid. It's a long story, you had to be there..." he said before frowning at Mickey, "Um...What're you doing that for?"

The Hatter frowned and walked around the control panel to see what was going on and looked over at the Doctor, "I thought you asked him to do this, didn't you tell him that he could stop?"

"When was that anyway?" the Doctor asked trying not to look at the Hatter's face.

"About half an hour ago..." Mickey trailed off as he saw the Hatter's face looking as if she was going to slap the Doctor.

"Doctor!" the Hatter shouted giving the Doctor a cold look, "Do you really want me to slap you because all you had to do was ask".

"Um," the Doctor winced still not looking at the Hatter, "You can let go now".

Rose snigged slightly and the Hatter gave her a look that made her stop and look at the ground, embarrassed by her actions to Mickey.

"Well, how long's it been since I could've stopped?" Mickey asked letting go of the button.

"Ten minutes?" the Doctor winced at the look on the Hatter's face, "Twenty?... Twenty nine..."

"Doctor," the Hatter shook her head giving him a disported look and making him winced at how disported she sounded.

But Mickey's response was much more indignant, "You just forgot me!"

"No, no, no!" the Doctor said quickly, "I was just...I was just...I was calibrating. I was just...no; I know exactly what I'm doing".

"I'm glad someone dose," the Hatter gave the Doctor another look. Suddenly the TARDIS console exploded, sending Mickey and the Hatter flying backwards as they had been standing right next to it. The TARDIS started shaking and jolting, as sparks and flames flew everywhere. The Doctor half jumped out of his chair and over to the console, frantically trying to stop whatever was happening.

"What's happened?" Rose shouted trying to hold on to her chair.

"The Time Vortex is gone!" the Doctor yelled, "That's impossible! It's just gone!"

Mickey glanced over to were the Hatter had been standing before but he couldn't see her until he looked over to his left hand side to see her on the ground. From what he could see through the sparks coming off the consol she wasn't moving and she wasn't holding on to anything but lying on her back with her red hair covering her face. Her hat was missing and she looked odd without it.

"Brace yourself!" the Doctor yelled grabbing hold of the console, "We're going to crash!"

And then the TARDIS did, throwing them all backwards as gas marks fell from the ceiling, and the lights went out sending them in to the dark.

"Everyone alright? Rose? Mickey?" the Doctor asked looking around and slowly pulling his self from the floor.

"I'm fine," Mickey called out slowly moving over to the Hatter, "But I think the Hatter could be a lot better".

Faster than Mickey or Rose thought the Doctor could move he rushed over and kneeled next to the Hatter carefully pulling her in to his arms. He moved her hair from her face to show a gash in her hairline, slowly blood trickled down her face. She was un-concessions from the blow from hitting something.

"Rose, get me the first aid kit and a damp cloth," the Doctor said not looking up from the Hatter. Rose did as she was told and after a few minutes of the Doctor cleaning and stitching the cut up the Hatter looked less pale and more herself.

"Is she going to be alright?" Mickey asked as the Doctor finished wiping the blood from her cheek.

"Right as rain," the Doctor said quietly, "But I will have to watch her closely for the next few hours. That was a nasty knock to the head she took and I wouldn't be surprised if she is a little clumsily when she wakes up".

"I don't think we have to wait long for that," Mickey commented as the Hatter slowly opened her eyes and blinked a few times to bring things in to focus.

"Ow, what happen?" the Hatter asked after she worked out that she was lying in the Doctors arms and that Mickey and Rose were also sitting next to her.

"We crashed and you hit your head," the Doctor said, softly, "Don't, worry it's only a small cut and in a few hours later you should be feeling like your old self".

The Hatter frowned. Something was wrong with the TARDIS, "Doctor, what's the matter with the TARDIS? Something's wrong I can feel it".

The Doctor blinked at her for a moment before looking over his shoulder, "Its dead...the last TARDIS in extinct, Dead".

The Hatter winced at how hollow the Doctor sounded, "I still don't know where my TARDIS is. I think it's on earth some were but I'm not sure," she tried to move but the Doctor didn't seem to notices and didn't loosen his grip.

"You can fix it, yeah?" Rose asked trying not to get annoyed at the Hatter. It wasn't her fault that she got hurt.

"There's nothing to fix's," the Doctor sighed finely noticing the Hatter trying to sit up and helping her.

"Well, we've landed-we've gotta be somewhere," Rose said.

"We fell out of the Vortex," the Hatter said closing her eyes and putting her head back against the wall that the Doctor had lent her against, "Finish off Doctor, it hurts to think right now".

The Doctor frowned at the Hatter, "like the Hatter said, we fell out of the Vortex, through the void, into nothingness. We're in some sort of no-place...the silent realm...the lost dimension".

"Otherwise known as London!" Mickey called from the doorway. He had looked outside when the others had been talking.

They looked over to see Mickey walking out side laughing. Rose got up and also followed and the Doctor helped the Hatter get up and also followed at a slower pace.

"London, England, Earth. Hold on..." Mickey said as they came outside to see a place that looked very much like London but with only one big deferent's that the Doctor and Hatter had noticed, "First of February this year-not exactly far-flung, is it?"

Rose walked over still trying not to notices how the Doctor was helping the Hatter to stand and walked over to Mickey.

"So, this is your London?" the Hatter remarked trying not to smile.

"Yep," Mickey said.

"Your city," the Doctor said.

"Just as we left it," Mickey nodded.

"Bang on".

"And that includes the zeppelins?" the Hatter and the Doctor asked at the same time looking up at the sky.

Rose and Mickey stoped what they were doing and looked up at a zeppelin flying over head.

"What the hell..." Mickey breathed looking up at the sky.

"That's beautiful," Rose smiled also looking up.

"I have to agree with you there," the Hatter remarked as she slowly walked over to them with the Doctor right next to her.

"Okay. So, it's London with a big international zeppelin festival," Mickey shrugged.

"This is not your would," the Doctor said and the Hatter nodded before wincing.

"But if the _date's_ the same..." Mickey said confused before an idea came to his head, "...It's parallel, right? Am I right? Like a parallel Earth where they've got Zeppelins, am I right? I'm I right, aren't I?"

"The next time Mickey, someone tells you that you're not smart you tell me," the Hatter smiled at him, "Because you really are brilliant".

"Must be," the Doctor nodded watching the Hatter out of the corner of his eye in case she got dizzy.

"So, a parallel world," Rose nodded still trying to not look at how close the Doctor was standing to the Hatter, "Where..."

"Oh, come on," Mickey said turning to face Rose, "You see it on films. Like an alternative to our would were everything's the same but a little bit different, like...I dunno...traffic lights are blue, Tony Blair never got elected..."

"And he's still alive..." Rose said staring at a poster of a man holding a bottle of some sort of health drink, "A parallel world and my dad's still alive..." she started walking over to it with the Doctor, Mickey and a little slower the Hatter followed her.

"Don't look at it, Rose," the Doctor said sternly, "Don't even think about it. This is not your world".

"But he's my dad...and..." she reached over and touched the poster. The picture of Pete sprung to life, saying 'trust me on this' before winking, "Ok, that's weird. But he's real! He's a success! He was always planning these daft little schemes, health-food drinks and stuff. Everyone said they were useless. But he did it".

The Doctor grabbed Rose's shoulders making her turn around to look in to his eyes. The Hatter also moved closer to help the Doctor to explain.

"Rose, if you've ever trusted me, then listens to me now," the Doctor said urgently. Rose glanced over her shoulder at the poster, "Stop looking at it!" she turned back and Looked at the Doctor, "Your father's dead. He died when you were six months old. That is not your Pete. That is _a_ Pete. For all we know, he's got his own Jackie, his own Rose. His own daughter who is someone else, but not you," Rose started to turn around but stopped herself.

"I am sorry Rose, I really am," the Hatter said quietly but sternly, "But you can't see him. Not ever".

Rose didn't answer as Mickey touched her shoulder comfortingly. The Doctor gave Rose a look before putting an arm around the Hatter and helped her to walk back inside the TARDIS.

...

"Doctor, I'm fine," the Hatter sighed as the Doctor walked her inside the TARDIS, "It's only a small cut".

"You were still out cold for fourteen minutes," the Doctor said.

"Doctor, I'm a Time lady," the Hatter remained him, "'I have had worse and I don't doubt that I will in the future as well".

"I don't care," the Doctor said turning the Hatter around to face him, "I could never forgive myself if something happened to you. Look I know that you're a lot stronger then you look but for now just let me worry about you".

"But I'm fine," the Hatter sighed, "Missing my hat and with a slightly sore head but still fine".

"If you so fine then what is the speed of light?" the Doctor asked.

The Hatter opened and closed her mouth a few times before sighing, "Ok, so maybe I am less fine then I thought but I don't need you to be standing next to me all the time. Anyway it's Rose you should be concerned about".

"Rose?" the Doctor frowned, "What do you mean Rose?"

"I mean that we have just landed in a parallel would were her father is still alive," the Hatter rolled her eyes, "She's the one you should be watching not me".

"Mickey can look after her," the Doctor said as Mickey walked inside making the Hatter give the Doctor a look, "I told you to keep an eye on her".

"I told you Doctor," the Hatter said, "But know Mr. Know it all won't listen to the woman who just might know more about women, human or not".

"She's alright," Mickey shrugged.

"She goes wandering off, parallel world, it's like a gingerbread house," the Doctor groaned, "All those temptations calling out".

"Oh, so it's just Rose then?" Mickey glared at the Doctor, "Nothing out there to tempt me?"

"Of course not Mickey," the Hatter said giving the Doctor another look, "I'm sure there's plenty but-" but the Doctor cut her off before she could finish.

"Well, I don't know," the Doctor said talking over the top of the Hatter, "I can't worry about everything...if I could just get this thing to..." he suddenly kicked the TARDIS.

"Doctor, you know how much she hates it when you kick her," the Hatter frowned at him but ignored her.

"Did that help?" Mickey asked.

"Yes," the Doctor as the Hatter laughed.

"Meaning no," the Hatter laughed.

Mickey joined in the Hatter's laughter, "Did that hurt?"

"Yes," the Doctor said before rubbing his foot, "Ow. We're not meant to be here. The TARDIS draws its power off the Universe, but it's the wrong Universe. It's like diesel in a petrol engine".

Mickey frowned, "But...I've seen it in comics. People are hopping from one alternative world to another, it's easy".

"Not in the real would, Mickey," the Hatter sighed and the Doctor nodded.

"Used to be easy," the Doctor said, "When the Time Lords kept their eye on everything, you could hop between realities, home in time for tea. Then they died, took it all with them the walls of realities closed, the world's were sealed. Everything became that bit less kind".

"My Grandfather was the person to invent the machine that first made it possible," the Hatter said, "He was made lord president because of it. By the time I was around he was already dead. Shame to, my father told me that he was a lot like me. Didn't like rules".

"Wish I could have met him," the Doctor commented.

"But how did we get here?" Mickey asked.

The Doctor looked at the Hatter who was frowning.

"Sorry Doctor but you saw yourself earlier," the Hatter frowned, "I'm still having trouble with things I could have worked out without needed to think about before hitting my head".

"To bad you don't have a hard head like me," the Doctor smirked at her before becoming serious, "I dunno. Accident? Should've been impossible, now we're trapped".

Suddenly the Hatter kneeled on the floor just below her feet, "What was it you used to say in school? Nothing is impossible just a bit unlikely".

"What is it?" the Doctor asked also kneeling down.

"What?" Mickey asked watching them.

"That there..." the Doctor pointed at a small green light that the Hatter had seen, "Is that a reflection?"

"It can't be a reflection because there is no light for it to be coming off," the Hatter remained him.

"It's a light!" the Doctor cried excitedly, "Is it? I think that's a light! That's all we need!" he and the Hatter removed the grilling floor just above the light, "We've got power! Mickey, we've got Power! Ha!"

The Doctor quickly jumped down pulling things out of his way as he went.

"Carful Doctor," the Hatter called down to him, "She's already going to be upset with you for kicking her you don't need to add pulling her apart".

"It's alive!" the Doctor cried reaching the light.

"What is it?" Mickey asked.

"Nothing," the Hatter said, "It's tiny, insignificant little power cell".

"Nice to see that you're starting to sound like your old self, Hatter," the Doctor called up to them, "It's clinging onto life. But with one little once of reality tucked away inside!"

"Enough to get us home?" Mickey asked.

"Not yet," the Hatter said moving out of the way so the Doctor could climb out, "It will need changing up".

"We could go outside and latch it up to the national grid!" Mickey suggested grinning.

"Wrong sort of energy," the Hatter smiled at Mickey, "But brilliant idea".

"It's gotta come from our Universe," the Doctor said.

"But we don't have anything..." Mickey trailed of as the Doctor looked at the Hatter who nodded.

"There's us..." the Doctor said putting the power cell on his hand and leaning forward at the same time that the Hatter did the same thing. They both took a deep breath before blowing on the cell making it glow brightly.

"We just gave away five years of our lives," the Doctor told Mickey, "Worth every second!"

"Usually you would give it ten years but with two of us we just have to give it five each," the Hatter commented, "You know Doctor I think your right about starting to sounded like my old self".

"It's going out," Mickey frowned watching as the glow died down, "Is that okay?"

"It's on a recharging cycle," the Doctor said, "It'll loop round, power back up and be ready to take us home in...Hatter what do you think, twenty four hours?"

"About that," the Hatter nodded, "Maybe twenty if were lucky".

"So, that gives us twenty-four hours or so, in a parallel world?" Mickey asked as the Doctor gave the power cell a small kiss.

"Shore leave!" the Doctor grinned, "As long as we keep our heads down. Easy. No problem!" he pocketed the power cell and helped the Hatter to stand up putting a arm around her when she swayed slightly.

"Sorry, got a little dizzy," the Hatter said leaning against the Doctor.

The Doctor frowned slightly, "Ok, so let's take it slow".

The Hatter rolled her eyes, "I just got a little dizzy. Anyway we had better go and tell Rose the good news".

...

They found Rose sitting on a bench looking at her phone. The Doctor made the Hatter sit on the bench before sitting between Rose and the Hatter.

"There you are!" the Doctor grinned at Rose, "You alright? No applause, the Hatter and I fixed it!" he held up the power cell, "Twenty-four hours or so, then we're flying back to reality," Rose didn't even glance at it, to lost in her own thoughts, "What is it?"

"My phone connected," Rose told them, "There's this...Cybus network, it finds your phone. It gave me internet access".

The Hatter frowned at the name 'Cybus network' but disced to think about when her head wasn't hurting anymore.

"Rose, whatever it says, this is the wrong world," the Doctor said.

"I don't exist," Rose said ignoring the Doctor.

"What do you mean?"

"There's no Rose Tyler," Rose repeated, "I was never born. There's Pete, my dad, and Jackie...he still married mum...but they never had kids".

"I'm so sorry, Rose," the Hatter said.

The Doctor reached out and tried to take the Phone away, "Give me the phone".

Rose pulled away from his reach, "They're rich. They've got a house and cars, and everything they want," she paused a moment, thinking, "But they haven't got me," she got and walked away from the bench before turning back around, "I've gotta see him".

"I'm sorry Rose, but you can't," the Hatter said as the Doctor helped her to stand up, "That's not how it works".

"I just wonna see him," Rose said talking more to the Doctor then the Hatter.

"I can't let you!" the Doctor said and the Hatter nodded.

"You just said twenty-four hours," Rose pointed out, slowly backing away.

"Rose, doing this is breaking just about every rule," the Hatter said, "You can't become his daughter".

"That's not how it works," the Doctor nodded before turning to Mickey, "Mickey, tell her".

"Twenty four hours, yeah?" Mickey asked, looking thoughtful.

The Doctor and the Hatter looked in-between them.

"Where're you going?" the Doctor asked.

"Well, I can do whatever I want!" Mickey said, moving back.

"Please, Mickey don't do this," the Hatter sighed.

Rose started walking backwards, "I've got the address and everything".

"Please, Rose don't do this to," the Hatter sighed.

"Stay where you are, both of you!" the Doctor called to them, looking frantic, "Rose, some back! Mickey, come back here right now!"

"I just wonna see him," Rose repeated.

"Yeah, I've got things to see and all," Mickey agreed.

"Like WHAT?" the Doctor turned on him.

"Doctor," the Hatter gave him a look but he was to busy looking at Mickey to see.

"Well, you don't know anything about me, do ya?" Mickey said getting angry, "It's always about Rose. I'm just the spare part".

"No, you're not Mickey," the Hatter said. She was about to go on but Rose interrupted.

"I'm sorry," Rose called before walking away, "I've gotta go".

The Doctor looked in-between Rose and Mickey as they both walked away.

"Go on then," Mickey called, gesturing to Rose, "No choice, it there? You can only chase after one of us, and it's never gonna be me, is it?"

The Hatter was about to walk over to Mickey but the Doctor tinted his grip on her and looked back at Rose before looking at Mickey, "Back here in twenty-four hours," he then grabbed the Hatter and quickly but carful pulled her with him trying to catch up with Rose.

"Doctor, one of us should go with Mickey," the Hatter said trying to pull away but the Doctor was moving too fast, "Why can't I go with Mickey and you with Rose?"

"Do you know what the speed of light is, yet?" the Doctor asked not stopping.

The Hatter sighed, "If anything happens to him..."

"Don't worry, I'm already starting to blame myself," the Doctor said.

...

Rose, the Hatter and the Doctor walked along the streets with Rose filling them in on Mickey's family. The Hatter was still upset about not being with Mickey but she had to agree with the Doctor about her head still not being right.

"Mickey's mum just couldn't cope," Rose explained, "His dad hung around for a while, but then he just sort of wandered off. He was brought up by his Gran," Rose smiled, "She was great woman. God, she used to slap him!"

"Poor Mickey," the Hatter sighed, "His Gran reminds me of the Doctor's mother. Remember how she used to hit you on the back of your head if she thought you were being rude".

The Doctor laughed, "Good old mum. Too bad she believed in rules and that Time Lords where better than everyone else. But she was a lot better than most Time Lords".

"She still didn't stop your father from kicking you out of your own house," the Hatter said.

The Doctor didn't say anything else so Rose went back to her story.

"And then she died," Rose said sadly, "She tripped and fell down the stairs. It's about five years ago, now. I was still in school".

"I never knew," the Doctor commented and the Hatter nodded.

"I don't think it's something you would just say when you first met someone," the Hatter said.

"That's Mickey. I s'pose I..._we_ just...take him for granted. Do you think she's still alive, his Gran?"

"I hope she is," the Hatter said, "For Mickey's sake anyway".

"Could be," the Doctor said nodded at the Hatter, "Like I said, parallel world, gingerbread house. We need to get out of here as fast as we can".

Suddenly a short alarm sounded and everyone around them froze. The Doctor, the Hatter and Rose looked around.

"How odd," the Hatter remarked walking over to a man.

"What're they all doing?" Rose frowned.

"They've stopped..." the Doctor frowned, "Look at that!" he said going over to the man that the Hatter was looking at and waving a hand in front of his face.

"It's the earpieces...like a Bluetooth attachments, but everyone's together," the Hatter concluded looking around at everyone.

"Just what I was thinking," the Doctor shot the Hatter smile.

Rose's phone beeped and she pulled it out, "It's on my phone. It's automatic, look. It's downloading. Is this what they're all getting?" the Doctor and the Hatter peered over her shoulder as Rose scrolled through the daily updates, "News...international news...sports...weather..."

"They must get direct download into their heads," the Hatter said.

"TV...schedules...lottery numbers..."

"Everyone shares the same information. Daily download published by Cybus Industries".

The download scrolled down to 'Joke' and everyone around them laughed before going back to their daily lives.

"They really need to work on their joke's," the Hatter remarked reading the joke, "How can people think this is funny?"

"You lot, you're obsessed," the Doctor shook his head, "You'd do anything for the latest upgrade".

"Oi...not my lot," Rose reminded him, "Different world, remember..."

"It's not that different," the Hatter shrugged, "It's only parallel".

The Doctor grabbed Rose's phone and pressed a few button's, "Oh, look at that. Cybus Industries owns just about every company in Britain, including Vitex. Mr. Pete Tyler's VERY well connected".

Rose looked up at the Doctor looking hopefull.

The Doctor sighed, "Oh, okay. I give up," he tossed Rose's phone back, "Let's go and see him".

"Your pathetic Doctor," the Hatter shock her head, "You sound just like a father with his daughter begging you to give her a lollypop".

Rose gave the Hatter a cold look before walking off with the Doctor giving the Hatter an amused look.

"You know me Hatter," the Doctor said, "It wouldn't be a lollypop, now a bag of jelly babies now you're talking".

_**Sorry about the long update but I had school and didn't get much time to do any writing for the past week. Now let's just say that the Hatter's family played a very big role in making Gallifray, and that she was very powerful member and would have been even more respected if she hadn't become friends with the Doctor, but even before she met the Doctor, she never fitted in with the other Time Lords because she didn't like the rules and she acted differently than a normal person in her role would have . Anyway I hope you like it, please review and tell me what you think :)**_


	8. Chapter 8 rise of the Cyberman part 2

_**OWERTY, no I don't like Rose mainly because I just could never see the Doctor being with a human but that douse not mean that in my story I'm just going to forget the fact that Rose had feelings for the Doctor. It will be a long time before it's a Hatter/Doctor story for now anyway (mainly because I like writing them as friends) but at some point it will happen. So all you Rose fans don't have to worry about Rose just being shoved to the side in this season or the next or maybe the next. Still not sure when the Doctor and Hatter will get together yet. Anyway thanks for the review.**_

**Rise of the Cyberman part two**

The Doctor, Rose and the Hatter crouched down outside the Home of the Tyler's. It was a big, beautiful, mansion with lots of expensive cars outside the front of it.

"They've got visitors," the Doctor commented.

"I love a good party," the Hatter said watching as more cars arrived, "To bad nothing good happens when I go to one".

"And me," the Doctor nodded.

"February the first, mum's birthday," Rose told them, "Even in a parallel Universe, she still loves a party".

"Well, given Pete Tyler's guest list, I wouldn't mind a look and there is one guaranteed way of getting in," the Doctor went to pulling out his psychic paper but frowned not finding it.

"Here Doctor," the Hatter handed it to him.

"How did you get that?" the Doctor asked.

"I was testing to see if I could still picker pocket," the Hatter shrugged, "I was good at it in my last body and it can be a very handy skill to have when trying to find things out about people".

The Doctor shook his head and waved the Paper in front of Rose.

"Psychic paper," Rose nodded.

"What do you wanna be?" the Doctor asked them with a grin.

...

Rose and the Doctor stepped through the door that went to the kitchen carrying trays and both dressed as waiters. The Doctor had thought that the Hatter, being used to going to parties from when she was a small girl was more likely to know how to get information out of guest then Rose or him. Of course Rose wasn't happy about it and the Hatter hadn't been either but what was done was done.

"We could have been anyone," Rose muttered.

"Got us in, didn't it?" the Doctor smiled at her but still scanning the Room for the Hatter.

"You're in charge of the psychic paper! We could've been guests like the Hatter. Celebrities. Sir Doctor, Dame Rose. We end up serving. I had enough of this back home".

They both smiled as people come up and took champagne and cocktail sticks from the trays.

"If you wanna know what's going on, work in the kitchens," the Doctor resounded before spotting the Hatter talking to a man a few people away from them. The Hatter looked over and saw them and finished her chat before walking over to them.

"Doctor, I am so going to slap you when this is all over," the Hatter said taking a glass of champagne to try and look as if she was just getting a drink, "I hate going to Parties like this".

"You were just saying how much you loved them," the Doctor pointed out.

"Yes, but usually by this time I would be off trying to find my kidnapped companion or something like that," the Hatter said, "This just reminds me of when I was a kid and being forced to smile and nodded all night before finely being able to go to bed. Not exactly the most happiest memorise".

"That's because you didn't have me for the first twenty years of your life," the Doctor smiled before pointing at a young woman also a wateriest, "According to Lucy, that man over there..."

"Who's Lucy?" Rose asked, frowning.

"She's carrying the salmon pinwheels," the Doctor said.

"Oh, that's Lucy, is it?" Rose asked, looking the girl in question over.

"Yeah! Lucy says, that is the president of Great Britain," the Doctor said smiling, "Gotta say something about a party eh?"

"Maybe to you, Doctor but to me it just brings back more memories," the Hatter said sipping the champagne before making a face at her glass, "I really hate champagne. How do people drink it?"

"What, there's a president, not a Prime Minister?" Rose asked not taking any notices of the Hatter.

"Seems so," the Doctor nodded.

"Or maybe Lucy's just a bit thick," Rose muttered missing the look the Hatter gave her.

"Excuse me!" a man called from the front of the room sounding like Pete Tyler, "Thank you very much. Thank you, if I could just have your attention, please?"

"Pete!" someone in the crowd shouted, "Go on, Pete".

"Thank you very much!" Pete laughed.

"It's about time you did some work! I thought you liked them young!"

They followed the voces to find Pete at the bottom of the stairs with a crowded of people standing around him, "Um, I'd just like to say, er, thank you to you all, for coming on this er, this very special occasion. My wife's...39..." the crowd laughed, "Trust me on this..." he said putting his thumbs up, making more laughter, "So, without any further ado, here she is. The birthday girl...my lovely wife...Jackie Tyler".

Rose stared as a, elegantly dressed Jackie walked down the stairs to join in her husband. Smiling and waving as she went; enjoying being in the spotlight.

"Now, I'm not giving a speech, that's what my parties are famous for, no work, no politics, just a few good mates and plenty of black-market whisky," the crowd laughed, "Pardon me, Mr. President!" she joked as everyone laughed, "So, yeah! Get on with it, enjoy, enjoy".

Everyone laughed again as Jackie and Pete walked down the stairs. The Doctor and the Hatter glanced at Rose who was still staring at them.

"You can't stay," the Doctor said quietly, "Even if there was some way of telling them".

"Course I can't," Rose said, "I've still got my mum at home, my real mum. I couldn't just leave her, could I? It's just...they've got each other. Mum's got no one".

"She's got you," the Hatter remained her, "And that's what they're missing because one of the best things you can have in your life is the joy of parenthood".

"The Hatter is right Rose," the Doctor nodded, "All these different worlds, not one of them got it right".

"Rose!" Jackie suddenly called, "There's my little girl!" they watched as a little dog came running down the stairs and Jackie picked it up, "Come to mummy, come to mummy! Yes, good girl! Good girl, aren't you?"

The Hatter and the Doctor took one look at Rose's face and cracked up laughing so hard that they had to lean against each other to stay standing.

"You know, I think I'm starting to enjoy this party," the Hatter laughed but not loud enough for Rose to hear, "Who would have thought".

Rose gave them both looks making the Doctor and the Hatter try to stop there laughter.

"Sorry," both the Doctor and the Hatter muttered before walking away leaving Rose to watch her parent's.

The Doctor and the Hatter walked down a hallway looking for Pete's offices when the Hatter stoped and grabbed the Doctor's arm. She pointed to an open doorway and they both slipped inside.

"Maybe one of us should have stayed with Rose," the Hatter said as she hacked the encryption, "Knowing our luck she will end up getting kidnapped or something".

"She'll be fine," the Doctor shrugged, "Just as long as she stays away from Pete,"

The Hatter gave the Doctor a look before smiling, "Were in. To easy, someone should really work on it better".

Doctor and Hatter frowned as they watched a promotion for some sort of invention for a Mr. Lumic.

"The most precious thing on this earth is the human brain..." Lumic narrated, displaying a brain, "This is the ultimate upgrade. Our greatest step into Cyberspace".

The Doctor and the Hatter looked even more horrified as they watched a human brain being put in to a metallic body, "Cybers..." they both breathed before rushing out of the room.

"I was really hoping I was wrong," the Hatter said horrified as they ran down the hallway back to the party. As they reached the main room they quickly went to Rose side and looked out one of the windows to see metallic figures approaching the house.

"It's happening again," the Doctor breathed staring out side.

"What do you mean?" Rose asked looking up at him.

"I've seen them before," the Doctor told her.

"I really wish I could say I haven't," the Hatter said.

"What are they?" Rose asked.

"Cybermen," both the Doctor and the Hatter said.

Suddenly severely Cybermen smashed through the windows, gaining entry into the house. The guest began to scream and trying to move out of the way as the Cybermen pushed everyone in to the middle of the room.

The Presidents communication device beeped, "Mr. Lumic," he greeted.

"Mr. President," Lumic's voices whizzed, "I suppose a remark about crashing the Party would be appropriate at this point?" he laughed.

"Great, an evil guy with a sense of humour," the Hatter muttered, "It's just typical".

"I forbade this!"

"These are my children, sir," Lumic said, "Would you deny my family?"

"I bet he was never invited to any birthday parties as a kid," the Hatter muttered.

"Not the time, Hatter," the Doctor said quietly.

"I'm worried and when I'm worried I talk," the Hatter said, "I really wish I had my hat. That would make me fell a lot better".

"What are they?" Rose whispered to the Doctor, "Robots?"

"Worse than that," the Doctor told her.

"Who were these people?" the President demanded.

"Doesn't matter," Lumic said.

"They're people?" Rose asked, horrified.

"Once upon a time, yes," the Hatter said sounding sick, "Until they had all their humanity taken away".

The Doctor went on seeing that the Hatter was having trouble going on, "It's a living brain jammed inside a cybernetic body. With a heart of steel. All emotions removed".

"Why no emotions?" Rose asked.

"...because it hurts to see yourself as one of them," the Hatter grimaced.

"I demand to know, Lumic, these people, who were they?" the President demand, his voices growing louder.

"They were homeless, wretched and useless until I saved them," Lumic laughed, "And elevated them. And gave them life eternal. And now, I leave you in their capable hands. Goodnight, sir. Goodnight, Mr. President".

Lumic disconnected the call one of the Cybermen turned to the President, "We have been upgraded".

"Into what?" the Doctor called.

"The next level of mankind. We are human-Point-Two. Every citizen will receive a free upgrade. You will become like us".

"Well, it's nice to know that it's free," the Hatter muttered, grimly.

"I'm sorry," the President said to the Cybermen, "I'm so sorry for what's been done to you," he turned and walked back around, "But listen to me, this experiment ends. Tonight".

"Upgrade is compulsory".

"And if I refuse?"

"You really don't want to do that," the Hatter said moving forward but the Doctor stoped her.

"Please listen to her," the Doctor said moving to stand in front of the Hatter.

"What if I refuse?"

"Were telling you, don't," the Hatter said trying to move around the Doctor.

The President ignored them, "What happens if I refuse?"

"Then you are not compatible," the Cyberman said.

"What happens then?"

"Nothing good," the Hatter sighed.

"You will be deleted," the Cyberman reached out and grasped the President on the shoulder electrocuting him.

The crowed screamed, running, trying to get away. Some were lucky; others were electrocuted as they tried to run. The Doctor turned around and grabbed both Rose and the Hatter's hands, pulling them outside.

"There's nothing we can do!" the Doctor shouted, pulling Rose and the Hatter along.

"Believe me, if there was I would be the first person to try and help," the Hatter said.

Rose broke away from the Doctor, trying to get back inside, "My mum's in there!"

The Doctor just pulled her back, "She's not your mother! Come on!"

They ran up a slope only to see a row of Cybermen moving up the other side. They quickly turned back around the other side of the house just as Pete jumped out of a window.

"Quick!" Rose shouted seeing Pete, "Quick".

Pete ran after them, following them around to the front of the house, "Pete, is there no way out?" the Doctor called back.

"And please say yes," the Hatter called to Pete.

"The side gates!" Pete led them in the direction, "Who are you? How do you know so much?"

"You wouldn't believe it in a million years..." the Doctor started to say, skidding to a stop seeing another row of Cybermen approaching. They turned back around and ran back towards the house, seeing two figures towards them, holding guns.

"Who's that?" Rose shouted.

"I don't know but I really hope they have a good plan," the Hatter said.

"Get behind me!" a person that looked just like Mickey shouted, as he and another person fell to a kneel. The Doctor, Rose, the Hatter and Pete ran behind them as they fired at the Cybermen who stopped marching. Rose quickly ran to the person who looked like Mickey, fussing with his coat.

"Oh my God," Rose breathed, looking relived, "Look at you..." she pulled him in to a hug, "I thought I'd never see you again!"

Um, Rose-" the Hatter started to say but was cut off.

"Yeah, no offence, sweetheart, but who the hell are you?" the man said pulling away from Rose.

Just then the proper Mickey came running up to them, "Rose! Hatter! Doctor!" he stopped as he reached them, "That's not me. That's like...the other one".

"That's what I was trying to tell you," the Hatter sighed.

Rose looked in-between them.

"Oh, as if things weren't bad enough, there's two Mickey's!" the Doctor grumbled.

"Doctor," the Hatter gave him a look.

"It's Ricky," Ricky corrected.

"But there's more of them..." Mickey cut in, pointing to the Cybermen.

"There always is," the Hatter ground.

"We're surrounded..." Rose breathed.

Ricky raised his gun as the Doctor turned to him, "Put the guns down. Bullets won't stop them..." but Jake started shooting making the Hatter push his gun down.

"No, please listen," the Hatter said looking around at the others, "Guns to a Cyberman is like thronging a rock at one. Doctor, I really wish there was any other way but were going to have to surrender".

Everyone but the Doctor looked at her as if she had gone mad as the Doctor nodded grimly walking forward, "We surrender! Hands up..." everyone put their hands up, "There's no need to damage us, we're good stock. We volunteer for the upgrade programme. Take us to be processed".

"You are rogue elements," a Cyberman answered.

"But we surrender," the Doctor and Hatter shouted.

"You are incompatible".

"But this is a surrender!" the Doctor yelled at them, "Listen to me, we surrender!"

"You are inferior," a Cyberman replied, "Man will be reborn as Cybermen but you will parish under maximum deletion".

"Just brillante!" the Hatter shouted as the Cybermen moved forward, chanting, "Delete! Delete! Delete!"

_**Hope you liked it, sorry about the late update but school work got in the way plus I'm about to become an aunt anytime now so I might be a little late on the next update. Any questions please just go right ahead and ask, please review :)**_


	9. Chapter 9 Age of steel part 1

**Age of steel part 1**

"Delete, delete, delete..." the Cybermen repeated moving forward closer and closer when the Hatter had a sudden idea. She ran over to the Doctor and pulled out the power cell from his jacket pocket before he knew that she was there.

"I suggested you cover your eyes," the Hatter told them as she pointed the power cell at the Cybermen, making a golden light explode from it hitting the Cybermen making them stop and cry out in pain, "I'm so sorry. I wish there had been any other way".

"What the hell was that?" Rick demanded.

"You. Are. A. Complete. And. Utter. GENISE!" the Doctor suddenly cried staring at the Hatter as if he had never seen her before.

"Always the tone of surprise," the Hatter smiled at him before frowning at the Cybermen, "But we can talk about how brilliant I am later because there's going to be more of them around here really soon, and we just ran out of a weapon".

"Um, right basically, everyone, RUN!" the Doctor shouted seeing that there was in fact more Cybermen already approaching.

Everyone turned and ran the other way as a blue van pulled up with a, women driving it, "Everyone in!" she shouted as everyone jumped in to the back of the van. Pete started running back to the house but the Doctor grabbed him and pulled him back.

"I've gotta go back, my wife's in there!" Pete cried, struggling to get away from the Doctor's grip.

"Anyone inside that house is dead," the Doctor told Pete, "If you wanna help, then don't let her die for nothing. You've gotta come with us right now".

Pete nodded slightly running back over to the van, where the driver who the Hatter had found out from Mickey, was called Mrs. Moore was yelling for everyone to hurry up.

The Doctor turned to Rose who was staring at the House and grabbed her arm, "Rose, she's not your mother".

"I know..." Rose said, quietly.

"Come on," the Doctor pulled her towards the van, jumping in.

"Finished chatting?" Mrs. Moore snapped as she started driving, "Never seen a slower getaway in my life!"

"Thank you," the Hatter smiled at her knowing that Mrs. Moore could see her in the mirror, "I don't want to even think about what would have happened if you guys hadn't turned up".

Mrs. Moore looked a little surprised at being thanked but still gave the Hatter a small smile. Ricky after a moment turned and glared at the Hatter, eyeing the power cell still in her hand.

"What was that thing?" Ricky demanded, again.

"Just a wonderfully little piece of technology from home," the Hatter smiled down at it, "I am never going to disregarded anything small again".

"It's stopped glowing," Mickey commented, as the cell looked as if it was dead, "Has it run out?"

The Doctor leant over and took the cell from the Hatters hand putting back in his pocket, "It's on a revitalizing loop," he shrugged, "The final phase. It'll be finished charging in about fore hours".

"Right," Ricky said, "So, we don't have a weapon anymore".

"Yeah, we've got weapons," Jake said looking at Pete, "Might not be one of those metal things, but they're good enough for men like him".

"Oh, I am really not liking the sound of this," the Hatter mutated to the Doctor, "It's starting to sound like Rose and Sarah Jane when they first met".

"Leave him alone!" Rose yelled at Jake and Ricky, "What's he done wrong?"

"Oh, you know, just laid a trap that's wiped out the government, and left Lumic in charge".

"If I was part of all that, do you think I'd leave my wife inside?" Pete asked, looking hurt.

"Maybe your plan went wrong," Ricky shrugged, "Still gives us the right to execute you, though".

"Talk about executions, you'll make ME your enemy," the Doctor leaned forward, "And take some really good advice, you don't wanna do that".

"And me," the Hatter added, giving Jake and Ricky a cold look, "Because I have met Cybermen before and in under five minutes I hacked in to their computers flying them it to a supernova, and that's not to mention what I did to the Daleks after they killed one of my companies. Trust me boys you do not want to mess with me when I'm angry".

"Don't need to tell me," the Doctor nodded to the Hatter.

Ricky and Jake leaned back, and Rose, Mickey and Pete all sheared a slightly scared look.

"All the same..." Ricky said trying not to look at the Hatter, "We have evidence that says Pete Tyler's been working for Lumic since 20.5".

Rose turned to Pete, "Is that true?"

Pete looked uncomfortable

"Tell 'em, Mrs. M," Ricky glanced at Miss. Moore.

"We've got a government mole who feeds us information," Mrs. Moore called over her shoulder, "Lumic's private files, his South American operations...the lot. Secret broadcasts twice a week".

"Neat," the Hatter commented.

"Broadcast from Gemini?" Pete asked.

"And how do you know that?" Ricky turned to Pete.

"Oh," the Hatter said realising what Pete was saying, "Clever, very clever".

"I'm Gemini," Pete nodded at the Hatter, "That's me".

"Yeah, well you would say that..."

"Encrypted wavelength six-five-seven using binary nine," Pete told them, "That's the only reason I was working for Lumic. To get information. I thought I was broadcasting to the security Services, and what do I get? Scooby Doo and his gang. They've even got the Van!"

"No, no, no!" Mickey cut in, "But the preachers know what they're doing. Ricky said he's London's most Wanted!"

"Yeah, not exactly..." Ricky trailed off.

"Not exactly what?" Mickey asked, looking confused.

"I'm London's Most Wanted for...parking tickets," Ricky admitted. The Doctor and the Hatter sheared an amused looked and Rose raised her eyebrows.

"Great," Pete scoffed.

"They were deliberate!" Ricky said, "I was fighting the system! Park anywhere, that's me".

"Good, policy," the Doctor nodded.

"We do the same," the Hatter said, "And I have to agree with you on breaking the rules".

"I'm the Doctor, by the way," the Doctor introduced, "And this is the Hatter".

"Nice to meet you all," the Hatter gave a small wave.

"And I'm Rose," Rose added, slightly annoyed at the Doctor for not introducing her, "Hello!"

"Even better," Pete scoffed again, "That's the name of my dog. Still, at least I've got the catering staff on my side and part of the royal family".

The Hatter hit the Doctor on his arm to make him stop laughing, "Yeah, about that..."

Rose looked over at Pete talking over the Hatter, "I knew you weren't a traitor".

"Why's that then?" Pete asked, not seeming to notices the Hatter trying to tell him that she was not part of the royal family.

Rose glanced at the Doctor and the Hatter who were both watching her before turning back to Pete, "I just did..."

"They took my wife..." Pete said, quietly.

"She might still be alive," Rose said.

"That's even worse," Pete said, "'Cos that's what Lumic does. He takes the living...and turns them into those machines".

"Cybermen," the Doctor and the Hatter corrected making everyone look at them.

"Like I said earlier," the Hatter said, "There called Cybermen".

"And I'd take those ear pods off, If I were you," the Doctor nodded at Pete who did as he was told, handing them over, "You never know...Lumic could be listing," he pulled out his sonic and disabled them, "But he's overreached himself. He's just a businessman. He's assassinated the President. All we need to do is get to the City and inform the authorities. Because I promise you, this ends tonight".

...

The Preachers along with the Doctor, the Hatter, Rose, Mickey and Pete walked down the streets of London, watching as people dazedly marched all in the same direction.

"What the hell..." Jake breathed, looking around at all the people.

"What's going on?" Rose asked.

"It's the ear pods," the Doctor said looking at the people as they past, "Lumic's taking control".

"Can't we just...I dunno, take them off?"

Rose reached up to take the ear pods of a man as he past but the Hatter pulled her hand away, "Don't!" Rose glared at the Hatter, "It'll cause a brainstorm".

Rose looked at the Doctor who nodded, frowning slightly at seeing Rose glare at the Hatter.

"You're not a part of the Royal family are you?" Pete said the Hatter.

"Sorry, but I am still a Dame...just not here," the Hatter said getting a confused look.

"Human race," the Doctor shook his head, "For such an intelligent lot, you aren't half susceptible. Give anyone a chance to take control and you submit. Sometimes I think you like it. Easy life".

"It's not much different from Time Lords," the Hatter added, "They wouldn't have had a clue on what to do if the Lord President wasn't watching over everyone, making sure no one was doing something un-Time Lordly".

"Very true," the Doctor nodded.

"Hey!" Jake called. They looked over to him and Ricky looking around a corner, "Come and see".

They quickly and quietly ran over to Ricky and Jake, looking around the corner to see a group of Cybermen marching alongside a group of people, all heading in the same direction.

"Where are they all going?" Rose asked.

"I don't know," the Doctor said quality.

"Lumic must have a base of operation in that direction," the Hatter said pointing at the way the people were walking.

"Battersea," Pete suddenly told them, "That's where he was building his prototypes".

"Why's he doing it?" Rose asked, frowning.

"He's dying," Pete answered, "This all started out as a way to live by keeping the brain alive. At any coast".

"Typical," the Hatter mutated, "Sometimes I think that is one of the most brilliant and most dangers things about humans, always trying to cheat death".

Rose turned to the Doctor, ignoring the Hatter, "The thing is, I've seen Cybermen before, haven't I? That head, those handle shapes in Van Statten's museum".

"I remember that story," the Hatter said, "Not the happiest man was he?"

The Doctor nodded at the Hatter before turning to Rose, "There are Cybermen in _our _Universe. They started on an ordinary world just like this, then swarming across the galaxy. This lot are a parallel version, and they're starting from scratch right here on Earth".

"What the hell are you three on about?" Pete asked, shaking his head.

"Never mind that," Ricky cut in, "Come on, we need to get out of the City," they all looked over to see the Cybermen quickly moving towards them, "Okay, split up. Mrs. Moore, you look after _that _bloke," Ricky pointed at Pete, "Jake, distract them, go right, I'll go left, we'll meet back at the Bridge Street. Move".

Ricky and Jake ran off when Mickey turned to Rose, "I'm going with him," he kissed Rose on the cheek quickly, giving the Hatter a small nod before also running off.

"Come on, let's go!" Mrs. Moore called, leading them off as Cybermen started getting closer.

The Doctor grabbed the Hatter's arm, pulling her along with Rose just behind them.

"There!" Mrs. Moore pointed as they ran down a side alley, the Cybermen still following. They quickly crouched down behind a grope of binds and rubbish bags. The Hatter noticed that Rose was culching Pete's hands as the Cybermen stopped right next to the bins.

The Doctor put his hand inside his jacket pocket and pulled out his sonic, pointing it at the Cybermen, as he made it beep. The Cybermen quickly turned and marched down the street. Rose stood and peered over the top of the bin in front of her, watching the Cybers march away, before standing up letting go of Pete's hand. Pete glanced at her trying to work out why Rose was acting in such a way towards him, but shook it off as they all stood and looked in the direction the Cybermen went.

"Go," the Doctor whispered, leading the way from around the bins down the street to Bridge Street. They had just arrived when Jake came running over to them.

"I ran past the river," Jake told them, "You should've seen it, the whole City's on watch. Hundreds of Cybermen all down the Thames..." he trailed off, looking down the street where either Mickey or Ricky suddenly appeared, running towards them. Jake grinned seeing him and the Hatter and the Doctor sheared a look, "Here he is!" Mickey or Ricky stopped, not talking, "Which one are you?"

It didn't take much to work out that this was Mickey and that something horrible had happened to Ricky.

"I'm sorry," Mickey breathed, "The Cybermen. He couldn't..."

"Are you Ricky?" Jake asked again before yelling, "ARE YOU RICHY?"

Mickey didn't answer.

"Mickey, that's you, isn't it?" Rose asked.

Mickey swallowed, "Yeah," Rose ran him, hugging him as Jake stayed silent, "He tried," Mickey turned to Jake, "He was running..." Jake turned away from Mickey as he stepped closer, "There was too many of them".

"Shut it," Jake said clearly struggling through his grief.

"There was nothing I could do..." Mickey said.

Jake spun around, "I said just SHUT IT. Don't even TALK about him. You're NOTHING, you are..." Mickey stepped back, "Nothing".

"That's enough," the Hatter said stepping in-between the two, "Fighting with each other is not going to make anything better. We cannot go up against Lumic or the Cybermen if we do not stick together. Tonight we have already lost too many good people and we will continue to lose more if we don't start working together. Jake, I understand the pain you are going through and I know that right now the last thing you want to be seeing is a person who looks just like Ricky, but yelling at Mickey is not going to making anything better. When this is all over then we can grieve. Do you understand?"

Both Jake and Mickey nodded, slightly shocked by the Hatter's sudden speech. The Hatter patted them both on their shoulders before turning around to face the Doctor who also looked surprised by her speech, "Now, Doctor I think it's time we come up with a plane so this terrible night can be over".

The Doctor nodded turning on his heel and walking off.

...

They walked up a slope overlooking the river to see Bettersea on the opposite bank, all light up with lights and smock coming out of the chimneys.

"The whole of London's been sealed off," the Doctor said, "And the entire population's been taken inside that place. To be 'converted'."

"We've gotta get in there and shut it down," Rose commented.

"How do we do that?" Mickey asked.

"Oh, I'll think of something," the Doctor said as the Hatter cleared her throat, "I mean we will think of something".

"You're just making this up as you go along!" Mickey said.

"It's funnier that way," the Hatter grinned, "You should try it Mickey".

"And I...I mean we do it brilliantly," the Doctor corrected his self smirking at the Hatter.

Mrs. Moore pulled her laptop out and brought up a 3D model of the factory as everyone but Jake gathered around her.

"That's a schematic of the old factory," Mrs. Moore explained, "Look, cooling tunnels...underneath the plant...big enough to walk through..."

'And a possibly place to hide things in,' the Hatter thought frowning slightly.

"We go under there and up in to the control center?" the Doctor asked, looking at the tunnels.

"Hmm," Mrs. Moore nodded.

"There's another way in," Pete said, everyone looked at him, "Through the front door. If they've taken Jackie for upgrading, that's how she'll get in..."

"Is it me or is this starting to sound like The Tomb of Rassilon in the Death Zone?" the Hatter asked, "Only without the top entrains".

Everyone looked at her and the Doctor nodded, "It douse a little and come to think it there were Cybermen there as well".

"Anyway, we can't just go strolling up," Jake said shaking his head not understanding what the Hatter and the Doctor were talking about.

"Or, we could..." Mrs. Moore said pulling some ear pods from her bag, "With these..." the Doctor and the Hatter both took one each and examined them, "Fake ear pods. Dead. No signal. But put them on, the Cybermen would mistake you for one of the crowd".

The Doctor the Hatter tossed the ear pods back.

"It's very risky," the Hatter sighed.

"Then that's my job," Pete nodded.

"You'd have to show NO emotion," the Doctor warned Pete, "None at all. ANY sign of emotion would give you away".

"You don't have to do this," the Hatter told him but Pete just shook his head.

"How many of those have you got?" Rose asked, Mrs. Moore.

"Just two sets," she said.

"Okay, if that's the best way of finding Jackie...I'm coming with you," Rose got up and stood next to Pete.

"Why does she mater to YOU?" Pete asked, curiously.

"We haven't got time," Rose waved him off turning to the Doctor and the Hatter, "Doctor, I'm going with him, and that's that".

"Not stopping you there?" the Doctor asked looking at her.

"Nope," Rose nodded.

"Just, be careful, Rose," the Hatter said.

The Doctor tossed Rose the ear pods, "Tell you what...we can take the ear pods at the same time. Give people their minds back. So they don't walk into that place like sheep. Jakey-boy?"

The Doctor and the Hatter with Jake walked further up the hill looking at the factory.

"Lumic's transmitting the control signal," the Doctor told Jake, "And it must be from over..." he went to pull the sonic out but the Hatter stopped him, pointing at the zeppelin on top of the factory, "When did you work that out?"

"When we first arrived here," the Hatter smirked at him, "But I couldn't help myself, I wanted to see how long it took for you to work it out and if this was a test you would have failed. Also it was payback for you not letting me go with Mickey earlier".

The Doctor shook his head, turning back to Jake, "There it is...on the zeppelin, see? Great big transmitter. Good thing Lumic likes to showing off. Reckon you could take it out?"

Jake smiled, "Consider it done".

The Doctor patted Jake on the shoulder before walking back over to the others with the Hatter, "Mrs. Moore...would you care to accompany me and the Hatter into the cooling tunnels?"

"How could I refuse an offer of the cooling tunnels?" Mrs. Moore laughed.

"Just what I was thinking," the Hatter smiled at her.

"We attack on three sides, above, between, below," the Doctor said making the Hatter laugh.

"Sorry, it's just that you reminded me of my favourite nursery rhyme when I was a Time Tot," the Hatter smiled, "Come to think about it still is. My mother used to singe it to me and I used to do the same to my kids".

"And to me," the Doctor said looking slightly thoughtful, "I remember you signing it to me when we were younger and after I regenerated in to my seconded body".

"Well, it was your first regeneration," the Hatter said.

Everyone sheared looks as the Doctor and the Hatter seemed to be lost in memorise before Rose cleared her throat making the two Time Lords jump.

"Oh, right sorry got a little caught up in the old days," the Doctor said shaking his head, "Ok, we get to the control center, we stop the conversion machines".

"What about me?" Mickey asked.

The Hatter smiled at him and put an arm over his shoulders, "You're going with Jake".

"No, he isn't," Jake glared at the Hatter.

"Oh, yes he is," the Hatter said giving them both stern looks that would have worked better if she hadn't been smiling, "And you will be nice to each other or no ice cream after dinner, and I mean it".

Mickey coved his smile by shrugging, "Fine by me".

"I don't need you, idiot," Jake snapped at Mickey.

"Enough," the Hatter sighed stepping in the middle of them again, "What did I say earlier about needing to get along with each other? Now the two of you are going to do just that and that is final".

"Still no," Jake said.

"I'm offering to help," Mickey said taking a deep breath.

"Whatever," Jake stalked off as Mickey followed.

"Mickey?" the Doctor called, as Mickey turned back, "Good luck".

"Yeah," Mickey nodded, "You too. Rose, I'll see you later".

"Yeah, you better," Rose said.

"If we survive this," the Doctor added, "I'll see you back at the TARDIS".

He smiled at Mickey, "That's a promise".

"From both of us," the Hatter said hugging Mickey before stepping back, "And no fighting, both of you".

Mickey nodded before running off trying to catch up to Jake.

"Good luck," the Doctor said to Rose, hugging her. Rose nodded and turned walking off with Pete, leaving the Doctor, the Hatter, and Mrs. Moore to started walking to the tunnels.

_**Sorry about the long wait, but for some reason this chapter was harder to write. I couldn't help myself and just had to add some things about the classic serous, manly the episode **__**The Five Doctor's. **__**Anyway, I hope you liked it, please review :)**_


	10. Chapter 10 Age of steel part 2

**Age of steel part 2**

The Doctor opened a trapdoor that they had found, leading to the cooling tunnels. Mrs. Moore slowly descended, followed by the Hatter, and then the Doctor.

"It's freezing here," Mrs. Moore shrived.

"Got to love being a Time Lady sometimes," the Hatter commented trying to see through the dark, "I don't really feel the cold like you".

"Any sign of a light switch?" the Doctor asked, also trying to look around.

Mrs. Moore laughed, "Can't see a thing. But I've got these..." she looked through her bag and handed the Doctor and the Hatter a minors light that went around your head, before pulling her own out, "A device for every one occasion..."

"Ooh!" the Doctor grinned, taking his.

"Put it on".

"Haven't got a hotdog in there, have you?" the Doctor asked making the Hatter laugh quietly, "I'm starving".

"You could have taken some food from the party," the Hatter said, amused, "The way you were eyeing it I thought you already had".

"Of all the things to wish for!" Mrs. Moore laughed, "Mechanically recovered meat!"

"I know," the Doctor grinned, "It's the Cyberman of food, but it's tasty".

"Personal, I always preferred hand burgers, but that's me," the Hatter shrugged.

Mrs. Moore shook her head as she handed them a hand torch, "A proper torch as well".

"Let's see where we are," the Doctor said, switching his torch on and taking a few steps forward. The first thing that the light hit was a Cybermen.

The Hatter jumped back, stumbling on the end of her scarf into the Doctors chest. The Doctor put a hand on her shoulder to steady her.

"Sorry," the Hatter said taking a deep breath, "I tripped on my scarf. I now remember why I never wore one this long".

"Usually I would suggest that you didn't wear it but I remember how attached to mine I was," the Doctor said, "Are you ok?"

"Yep," the Hatter nodded, "Just court me off guard. What about you Mrs. Moore, are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Mrs. Moore said, "It surprised me to".

"They're already converted, just paralysed," the Doctor said moving in front of the Hatter and Mrs. Moore, "Come on".

The Doctor led them further down the tunnel, Mrs. Moore and the Hatter followed just behind him. The Hatter stopped and tapped one of the Cybermen on the nose to see if she would get a response but didn't, "Let's go slowly. Keep an eye out for a trip system or any movement".

"Good idea," the Doctor nodded. They walked on in silence making their way along the tunnel, when the Doctor started to speak, "How did you get into this then?" he glanced back at Mrs. Moore, "Rattling along with the Preachers?"

"Oh, I used to be ordinary," Mrs. Moore shrugged.

"I have met many humans and not one of them was ever ordinary," the Hatter smiled at her, "You're all extraordinary in my mind".

Mrs. Moore looked thoughtful and pleased, "I worked at Cybus Industries, '95. Till one day, I find something I'm not supposed to. A file on the mainframe. All I did was read it. Then suddenly, I've got men with guns knocking in the middle of the night. Life on the run. Then I found the Preachers. They needed a techy, so I...I just sat down and taught myself everything".

"I'm liking you more and more Mrs. Moore," the Hatter commented.

"What about Mr. Moore?" the Doctor asked.

"Well, he's not called 'Moore'. I got that from a book, 'Mrs. Moore'. It's safer not to use real names. But he thinks I'm dead. It was the only way to keep him safe. Him and the kids. What about you two? Got any family, or..."

The Hatter sighed. She tried not to thing to much about her past, "I did. Two sons and two daughters, but they refused to talk to me after I left their father. Wouldn't even let me see my own grandchildren, by the time that it was announced that we were at war, it was too late. They had been among the first to be killed," she took a deep breath and went on, "I never loved my husband you see. I was forced to marry him after I left school because that's what my mother did so I had to do it to. The only thing that kept me from leaving earlier then I did where my kids. Back when they were just children, before they were taken and turned into the perfect moulds of how Time Lords should be, and then one day I found an old photo from back in my school days and I realised that the last time I had truly been happy was in school. The Doctor had already left so I thought why I don't do the same? And I did".

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Mrs. Moore said as the Hatter wiped her eyes on the edge of her scarf.

"Don't be," the Hatter shook her head, "It was the Time Lords fault and mine".

"It was never your fault, Hatter," the Doctor said sounding slightly bitter, "You where a brilliant mother and as for your husband..."

The Hatter shook her head so Mrs. Moore turned to the Doctor, "What about you?"

"Oh, who needs family?" the Doctor said still sounding silently upset, "We've got the whole would on our shoulders plus I have Hatter".

"Go on then," the Hatter said trying not to think about what they were just talking about, "What's your real name?"

"Angela Price," she answered, "Don't tell a sole".

"Not a word," the Doctor said.

"Cross my hearts," the Hatter agreed.

They walked a few more feet when Mrs. Moore gasped, "Doctor? Hatter?" she pointed at one of the Cybermen hands, "Did that just move?"

"It's just the torch light," the Doctor said grabbing the Hatters hand, "Keep going, come on".

"_Nice cover up, Theta," _the Hatter telepathy said to the Doctor who looked at her surprised, _"Now, can we please get out of here before she finds out you where lying?"_

"_I wasn't lying I was just being hopeful," _the Doctor replied.

Suddenly one of the Cybermen in front of them moved, starting too turn around.

"That hopeful thinking really worked, didn't Doctor!" the Hatter said looking around seeing more Cybermen moving, "Their waking up!"

"RUN!" the Doctor shouted pulling the Hatter with him as Mrs. Moore ran right behind them. They ran as fast as they could, barley managing to stay ahead of the awaking Cybermen. They came to a ladder that hopefully lead up into the factory.

"Get up!" Mrs. Moore shouted as they scrambled up the ladder, "Quick! They're coming!" the Doctor pulled out the sonic, trying to open the seal, "Open it! Open it!" he finally managed, tossing the door to the side as he flew up, holding his hand down to the Hatter who did the same for Mrs. Moore.

"Come on!" the Doctor shouted, the Hatter pulled Mrs. Moore off to the side, "Come on!" he flipped the trap door shut, just in time as the Cybermen tried to get to them.

"Oh, good team!" the Doctor grinned as they panted from all the running.

"I thought you didn't like people who said team," the Hatter smiled at him, but he didn't answer just walked off.

...

They edged around a dark corridor, carefully trying to find their way when a Cyberman suddenly stepped out in front of them, making them all jump.

"That's cheating," the Hatter said trying to control her heartbeats.

"You are not upgraded," the Cyberman stated.

"Yeah?" Mrs. Moore stepped forward, "Well, upgraded THIS!" she threw a small metal object at the Cyberman, sticking to its chest. It started sparking and suddenly the Cyberman was electrocuted. It jerked and shook before falling backwards onto the floor.

The Doctor and the Hatter looked at Mrs. Moore and the Doctor asked looking impressed, "What the hell was that thing?"

Mrs. Moore glanced at them as they moved closer to the body, "Electromagnetic bomb. Takes out computers, I figured it might take out a Cyber suit".

"Brilliant," the Hatter smiled at her.

"You figured right," the Doctor nodded, kneeling down next to the Cyberman, "Now, let's have a look..." he took out the sonic out, holding it to the Cybus logo on its chest, "Now...know your enemy...and the logo on the front...Lumic's turning them into a brand..." he popped off the top of the logo, looking inside the Cyberman's chest, "Heart of steel..." he remarked to Mrs. Moore, "But look..." he put his fingers inside the Cyberman's chest, pulling out white sort of webbing.

"Is that flesh?" Mrs. Moore asked.

"Central nervous system," the Hatter told her, "Artificially grown the threaded throughout the suit so it responds like a living thing," she frowned and corrected herself, "Is a living thing".

"Oh, but look..." the Doctor carefully pointed to an electronic chip on the side of the Cyberman's chest cavity, "Emotional inhibiter. Stops them feeling anything".

"But...why?" Mrs. Moore asked, frowning.

"It's still got a human brain," the Hatter sighed, sadly, "Imagine its reaction if it could see itself. Realize itself inside this".

"They'd go insane," the Doctor added.

"So they cut out the one thing that makes them human," Mrs. Moore said, sadly.

"Because they have to," the Doctor nodded.

"Why am I cold?" the Cyberman suddenly asked.

"Oh, my God," Mrs. Moore breathed, "It's alive. It can FEEL".

"Oh, we broke the inhibitor," the Hatter said looking sick, "I'm so sorry".

The Doctor leaned over the Cyberman and torched its head also apologising.

"Why so cold?" It asked again.

"Can you remember your name?" the Hatter asked, gently.

"Sally. Sally Phelan".

"You're a woman..." Mrs. Moore said looking surprised.

"Where's Gareth?"

"Who's Gareth?" Mrs. Moore asked.

"He can't see me. It's unlucky the night before".

"You're getting married..." Mrs. Moore said, sadly.

"I'm cold," it said, again, "I'm so cold".

"Sorry," the Doctor said, sadly, "You sleep now, Sally. Just got to sleep," he pointed the sonic inside the suit, the flashing blue light slowly went out, "Sally Phelan didn't die for nothing," he blinked as the Hatter gasped, " 'Cos that's the key..." he turned to the Hatter who was nodding having realised the same thing, "The emotional inhibiter...if we could find the code behind it..."

"The cancellation code," the Hatter nodded, "The feed it throughout the system into every Cyberman's head..." she paused looking a little sick; again, "They would realize what they are".

"And what happens then?" Mrs. Moore asked, looking between them both.

"I think it would kill them," the Doctor swallowed hard, looking at the Hatter, "Could we do that?"

"We've got to," Mrs. Moore said making the Doctor and Hatter look at her, "Before they kill everyone else," both the Doctor and the Hatter looked reluctant, "There's no choice, Doctor, Hatter. I'm sorry, but it's got to be done".

She stood up only to have a Cyberman hand grab her neck, electrocuting her. The Doctor and the Hatter jumped to their feet, horrified by what they had just seen.

"No!" they both shouted as the Doctor went on, "No! You didn't have to kill her!"

"What did she ever do to you?" the Hatter glared at the two Cybermen.

"Sensors detect a binary vascular system," one of the Cybermen stated, "You are an unknown upgrade. You will be taken for analysis".

The Doctor and the Hatter glanced at each other before following one of the Cybermen.

...

The Doctor and the Hatter where marched into the main control, only to see Pete and Rose standing near the computers having also been court.

"We've been captured," the Doctor said to the Hatter sarcastically, "But don't worry Rose and Pete are still out there, they can rescue us..." he looked over at Rose and Pete as if he had just noticed them, "Oh well, never mind," he sighed as the Cybermen made them come to a stop by the Computers, the Doctor looked over at Rose, "Are you ok?"

"Yeah," Rose nodded, looking pale, "But they got Jackie".

"We were too late," Pete swallowed, "Lumic killed her".

"I'm so sorry," the Hatter sighed before raising her voices, "Where is this Lumic then?" she moved away from the Doctor and in front of one of the Cybermen, glaring at it , "The so called famous Mr. Lumic? Don't we get to meet out Lord and Master? I would love to get photo of us together. You know so when I'm feeling like remembering the good times I can look at it".

"Hatter," the Doctor grounded trying to pull her back, "Sometimes I think you have a death wish".

"No more than you do," the Hatter shrugged his hands off still glaring at the Cyberman, "Well?"

"He has been upgraded," the Cyberman replied.

"So he's just like you?" the Doctor asked, giving up on trying to pull the Hatter away.

"He is superior," the Cyberman answered, "The Lumic Unit had been designated Cyber Controller".

They all turned as a set of sliding doors opened. Mr. Lumic, now a Cyberman, rolled through. He was sitting in a chair that was coved in tubes and wires connecting him to the system.

"This is the Age of Steel and I am its Creator," Lumic said his voices different from the other Cybermen.

"Nice chair," the Hatter commented looking slightly taken aback, "But I think you should have stuck with the old one and not to mention your old body".

"You will be silent," Lumic ordered but before he could continue the sound of screaming echoed throughout the room. The Cybermen looked around the room as the Hatter and the Doctor looked at the security cameras of the factory, seeing people running out, no longer under the control.

"That's our friends at work," the Doctor grinned, clicking his tongue, "Good boys! Mr. Lumic, I think that's a vote for free will!"

"I have factories waiting on seven continents," Lumic stated, "If the ear pods have failed, then Cybermen will take humanity by force. London has fallen. So shall the world".

The Doctor and Hatter glanced up at one of the cameras, knowing that Mickey and Jake would be watching.

"I will bring peace to the world," Lumic continued, not noticing the Hatter and the Doctor looking at the camera, "Everlasting peace, and unity, and uniformity".

"Sounds like a great place," the Hatter said sarcastically, "Can't wait to see it".

"And imagination?" the Doctor asked, "What about that? The one thing that lead you here. Imagination, you're killing it, dead!"

"What is your name?" Lumic demanded.

"I'm the Doctor".

"A redundant title," Lumic said, "Doctors need not exist. Cybermen never sicken".

"What about her," the Doctor pointed at the Hatter, "Dame Hatter of the House of Blyledge".

"Another redundant title," Lumic said, "Cybermen have no needed for titles or homes".

"What about your title 'Cyber controller'?" the Hatter asked but the Doctor talked over her

"Yeah, but that's it!" the Doctor stepped forward, next to the Hatter, "That's exactly the point!" he shook his head, "Oh, Lumic, you're a clever man...I'd even call you a genius except I'm in the room..." he trailed off looking at the Hatter, "And the fact that the Hatter had the best grades of everyone in our year and over, so you could say that she's even smarter than me..." he trailed off again at look on the Hatters face, "Well it's true Hatter. Anyway, everything you've invented, you did to fight you sickness".

"And that's brilliant," the Hatter cut in, "That is SO human. But once you get rid of sickness and mortality, then what's there to strive for? Hmmm? The Cybermen won't advance. You'll just stop! You'll stay like this forever. A metal earth with metal man and metal thoughts, lacking the one thing that makes this plant so ALIVE. People. Ordinary, stupid, brilliant, beautiful, wonderfully people".

"You are proud of your emotions?" Lumic asked.

"Oh, yes," the Doctor said and the Hatter nodded.

"Then tell me, Doctor, have you known grief, and rage, and pain?" Lumic asked.

The Doctor glanced at the Hatter, thinking about when he thought she was dead with the other Time Lords and every other person he knew that had died, "Yes. Yes, I have".

Lumic turned to the Hatter, "And have you known, guilt? Fear? And loss?"

"Who hasn't?" the Hatter answered after a moment, "We all loss people that we care about. Guilt comes hand in hand with loss and as for fear that also comes along the way".

"And that hurt?" Lumic asked.

"Oh, yes," the Doctor and the Hatter nodded.

"I could set you free. Would you not want that?" Lumic looked at the Hatter, again, "A life without guilt?"

"I would rather die," the Hatter said, "Sure guilt is a terrible feeling but to take that ability away from me would be like taking part of my soul away. Guilt is the reason why every single day I try to help people. Guilt is a part of me as much as my hearts are. To be honest, I don't think I would really know how to live without guilt".

Lumic turned to the Doctor, "And you? A life without pain?"

"You might as well kill me," the Doctor replied.

"Then I take that option," Lumic said.

"It's not yours to take!" the Hatter shouted, "You're a CYBER controller. You don't control the Doctor or I, or anything with blood in its heart".

"You have no means of stopping me. I have an army. A species of my own".

The Doctor put his face in his palm, "You still don't get it, do you? An army's NOTHING. 'Cos those ordinary people, they're the key".

"The most ordinary person could change the world," the Hatter added, pretending to look at the Doctor when she was really winking at the camera, "Or a cartoon mouse".

"Some ordinary man or woman..." the Doctor nodded at the Hatter, "Some idiot with the same name as that mouse".

"All it takes is for him to find," the Hatter shrugged, "Say, the right numbers...say, the right codes...say, for example, the code behind the emotional inhibitor. The code right in front of him".

" 'Cos even an idiot knows how to use computers these days," the Doctor added, "Knows how to get past firewalls and passwords...knows how to find something encrypted in Lumic Family Database, under...what was it Pete? Binary what?"

"Binary 9," Pete said, loudly.

"An IDIOT could find that code," the Doctor repeated, "The cancellation code. And he's keep on typing. Keep on fighting," he turned and looked at the camera, "Anything to save his friends..."

"I don't know about an idiot, Doctor," the Hatter said, "More like a brilliant, wonderful mouse who has a lot to think about before we go back home".

"Your words are irrelevant," Lumic stated.

The Doctor grinned and the Hatter smirked as the Doctor started talking, "Talk too much, that's our problem. Lucky I got you that cheap tariff, Rose, for all our long chats. On your PHONE," he made a phone sign at the camera.

"You will be deleted," Lumic stated.

"Yes, delete, control, hash, all those lovely buttons," the Hatter smiled walking around the room kicking the ends of her scarf as she did, "Then of course, my very favourite, SEND!" she stopped facing the camera, pushing a fake button in the air giving the camera a small wink before spinning back around.

"And let's not forget how seduced all those ordinary people in the first place..." the Doctor trailed off as Rose's phone beeped right on time, "By making every bit of technology compatible with everything else..." he finished, stopping next to a particular computer.

"It's for you," Rose called, tossing her phone over to the Doctor.

He caught it, "Like this!"He shoved it in the port, fitting it perfectly.

And then it was as if all hell had broken loose.

The Cybermen started crying out, culching their heads in pain. On every screen the cancellation code was flashing. The security videos showed that it was also happening all over the factory.

The Doctor and the Hatter looked over to see one of the Cybermen looking at its reflection in a piece of metal. It started whimpering as it torched its face devastated.

"I'm sorry," the Doctor breathed.

"The only person who should be sorry is Lumic," the Hatter said coldly.

"What have you done?" Lumic shouted, furious and also in pain.

"We gave them their souls back!" the Hatter shouted as the Doctor grabbed her arm to stop her from moving closer to Lumic, "They can see what you did to them, Lumic! And it's killing them all because you couldn't stop yourself from the pull of the power and the idea of living forever!"

"Delete!" Lumice shouted, "Delete! Delete!"

The Doctor grabbed the Hatter's arm tighter, pulling her out of the room and down the hall with Rose and Pete on their heels. Explosion rang out and there was fire everywhere. The Hatter flinched as she was reminded of the Time War.

They ran to a door and the Doctor opened it only to find more Cybermen wailing in pain. The Doctor slammed the door shut, looking around, "There's no way out!"

"There has to be!" the Hatter shouted over the sound of explosion's around them, "There's always a way out!"

Rose's phone went off again and she pulled it out, listing to what was being said, "It's Mickey. He says 'head to the roof'".

They turned and ran up a flight of stairs, trying to avoid explosions and flames. When they reached the roof, Rose jumped down from the ladder with Pete, the Hatter and the Doctor following her. They stopped, looking at the zeppelin in the middle of the roof.

"Mickey," Rose said into her phone, "Where'd you learn to fly that thing?" she asked, a moment latter she flipped the phone closed and they ran across the roof. They flinched as parts of the roof exploded around them.

"You know this would be a lot better if I wasn't concerned about the roof caving in," the Hatter called to the Doctor, "Or about Lumic coming back for revenge".

"I have to agree with you there," the Doctor said.

They looked up as a rope ladder fell from the zeppelin.

"You've got to be kidding me," the Doctor muttered before turning back to the group, "Rose, get up!"

Rose started to climb followed by the Hatter, then the Doctor and then Pete last.

"Welcome to Mickey's Airlines," Mickey's voices come over the loudspeaker as they started rising, "Please enjoy your flight. Woo!"

"That's just what you would do, Hatter," the Doctor called as the Hatter laughed, "I should never have let the two of you met".

They all climbed, clinging to the ladder as they flew off.

"We did it!" Rose shouted, "We did it!"

Pete struggled up the ladder when it jerked downwards. Rose screamed and nearly fell off. All of them looked down to see Lumic hanging onto the ladder, slowly climbing.

"Sometimes I really hate being right!" the Hatter shouted as the Doctor pulled out his sonic.

"Pete!" the Doctor shouted down to Pete dropping his sonic down to him as Pete caught it, "Take this!" Pete looked at the sonic un-sure on how to use it, "Use it! Push the button down! Press it against the rope! Just do it!"

Pete did as he was told, "Jackie Tyler, this is for her!"

Slowly the rope snapped and Lumic fell back to earth, into the exploding factory. They stopped climbing and watched for a minute before they started climbing again.

...

In the TARDIS that night, the Doctor and the Hatter walked in and over to the dark console. The Doctor took out the power cell and put in a slot on the consol, the TARDIS suddenly come back to life. The Doctor and the Hatter grinned at each other.

"We should get the others, Doctor," the Hatter reminded him giving the consol a pat, "We only have about five minutes of power".

The Doctor nodded walking over to the door with the Hatter behind him. He peeked around the door, "Rose?" he called, getting her attention as she was talking to Pete.

They stepped out of the TARDIS, walking over to them, "We've only got five minutes of power..." the Doctor told Rose, "We've gotta go".

Rose turned to Pete, "The Doctor could show ya..."

"Thank you," Pete cut in, "For everything".

The Doctor and the Hatter sheared a look.

"Is everything alright?" the Hatter asked looking in-between them.

Rose turned to Pete, ignoring the Hatter, "Dad".

"Don't," Pete said sharply, "Just...just don't..." he turned and walked off, Rose watching him go. The Doctor scratched the back of his neck and the Hatter played with the end of her scarf. Before either of them could say anything, Mickey and Jake approached, Mickey holding the Doctor's suit and a box.

"Here it is!" Mickey laughed handing the suit over before giving the Hatter the box, "I found it. Not a crease. Hatter, I knew how much you loved your hat and when I saw this I just had to get it for you".

The Hatter opened the box to find a hat just like her old one but with a black ribbon around it, "Oh, Mickey," the Hatter hugged him putting the hat on grinning, "You are part of a rare few who have ever given me a hat before. The First one was my uncle who was just as bad as me when it came to hats. The other was the Doctor for my one-hundred birthday, and the other was my companion April Jones".

The Doctor looked up sharply of the mention of April, "Wasn't she the one that was killed by the Daleks?"

The Hatter nodded grimly before hugging Mickey again, "Now then, Jake, we have got to go but one more thing before we do. Mrs. Moore, her real name is Angela Price".

"She's got a husband out there," the Doctor added.

"And children," the Hatter nodded.

"Find them," the Doctor said.

"Tell them how she died saving the world," the Hatter finished.

Everyone stared at them, "What?" both Doctor and the Hatter asked.

"And I thought that tonight couldn't get anymore weird," Jake remarked, "The two of you talking like that".

The Doctor and the Hatter blinked before the Hatter turned back to the group, "Sorry, I know that my companions hated it to," she shrugged, "Old habits. We used to do it all the time back in school".

Jake shook his head, "Yeah, course I will".

"Off we go, then!" the Doctor said.

"Uh...thing is," Mickey cut in making everyone look at him, "I'm staying".

The Doctor started at him in shock as the Hatter nodded smiling at Mickey, "You're doing what?" the Doctor asked.

"You can't," Rose said, looking upset.

"It sort of balances out," Mickey replied, " 'Cos this world lost its Ricky. But there's me. And there's work to be done with all those Cybermen still out there".

"But you can't stay," Rose said, again.

"Rose, my Gran's here," Mickey said, "She's alive. My old Gran, remember her?"

Rose nodded, trying to stop herself from crying, "Yeah".

"She NEEDS me".

"What about me? What if _I_ need you?"

"Yeah, but Rose...you don't. It's just you and him, isn't it?" Mickey glanced at the Doctor and back to Rose, "We had something a long time ago, but...not anymore".

"Well...we'll come back," Rose nodded, "We can travel anywhere, come and see you, yeah?"

"I'm sorry Rose but we can't," the Hatter sighed, "The Doctor told you, Travel between parallel worlds is impossible. We only got here by accident".

"We...we fell through a crack in time," the Doctor added, "When we leave...we've got to close it. We can't ever return," he looked at Mickey, eyeing him, to try to get his point across.

Rose looked compliantly devastated and the Hatter would have given her a hug if she thought Rose wouldn't glare at her for trying.

Mickey glanced at Rose before holding out his hand to the Doctor, "Doctor".

The Doctor shook his head, "Take Rose's phone. It's got the code. Get it out there. Stop those factories," Mickey nodded, "And good luck. Mickey the Idiot".

"Or Mouse," the Hatter cut in.

The Doctor slapped Mickey's cheek, smiling, "Watch it!" Mickey told him.

The Hatter stepped forward pulling out a sliver and red sonic screwdriver, "Take this, Mickey," she handed it over to him, "It was mine when I was stuck on earth with the Doctor. I left it in his TARDIS when I left and just made a new one when I couldn't find it. I found it last night along with the blueprints in my room. I am in the middle of building my new one so I don't need it and I think you might find it comes in handy," she then pulled out a envelop, "This has everything you will need to know on how to use it as well as the blueprints.

"Wow," Mickey said looking at it before looking at the Hatter, "What happens if I break it or something?"

"Use the blueprints to make a new one," the Hatter shrugged, "I made it out of a radio, a T.V and an old car," she then smiled giving Mickey a hug, "I just want you to know Mickey, that what you are doing is brilliant and I am so proud of you," everyone looked stunned including Mickey, "Now go out there and save some people".

The Hatter turned around giving Jake a smile before walking into the TARDIS. The Doctor shook his head following the Hatter inside.

"Thanks," Mickey said turning to Rose, "We've had a laugh though, haven't we?" Rose nodded, "Seen it all, been there and back...who would have thought, me and you off the old estate, flying through the starts?"

"All those years just sitting there..." Rose said, her voices braking, "Imagining what we'd do one day...we never saw this, did we?"

Mickey pulled her in for a hug, "Go on, you'll miss your flight".

Rose hugged him tighter before pulling away, crying, walking back inside the TARDIS, and closing the door behind her.

"Jake, you wanna watch this," Mickey told Jake.

Jake stood next to him, watching as the TARDIS dematerialized, "What...the hell?"

"That's the Doctor..." Mickey smiled, "In the TARDIS...with Rose Tyler and the Hatter".

...

The TARDIS metalized inside in the Tyler's flat just as Jackie was making a cup of tea. Jackie come running out of her kitchen into the living room just as Rose stepped out of the TARDIS, looking at Jackie.

"You're alive..." Rose breathed as Jackie looked at her, "Oh, mum. You're alive!" she lunged forward, hugging Jackie. Jackie seemed slightly shocked but happy.

"Well, I was last time I looked..." Jackie remarked as the Doctor stepped out of the TARDIS, with a tall, red headed woman with a long scarf and hat, "What is it? What's happened, sweetheart?" Rose just hugged her mother tighter. Jackie looked over at the Doctor, "What's wrong? Where did you go? Who's she?"

"I'm the Hatter," the Hatter nodded at Jackie, "Nice to meet you".

"Far away," the Doctor answered Jackie's other questions, "That was...far away".

"Where's Mickey," Jackie asked.

"He's gone home," the Doctor told her.

Jackie nodded, hugging Rose tighter.

_**I hope you liked it, this some information about the nine Chapter Houses on Gallifrey. Anyway, please leave a review.**_

_**The **__**House of Blyledge**__** predated Rassilon. It was one of the senior members of the Prydon Chapter. Amnoni Distuyssor Lorizhon, a member of this house, was one of the operators of the Time Scaphe.**_

_**The **__**House of Brightshore**__** was a Gallifreyan house known for its wealth and power rather than the intellectual achievements of its cousins. Millennia came from this house.**_

_**The **__**House of Jade Dreamers**__** was one of the lesser of the Great Houses of the Time Lords. Cassandra, the High Priestess of the Sisterhood of Karn, was a member of that house.**_

_**The **__**House of Fordfarding**__** was a Gallifreyan Chapter House.**_

_**The **__**House of Heartshaven**____**was one of the Prydonian Houses and family home of Romana. When Romana returned there in her second incarnation following the Gallifreyan civil war it was effectively abandoned, and had become infested by pig-rats.**_

_**The **__**House of Lungbarrow**__** was one of the Prydonian Houses and the family home of the Doctor. It was located in the southern mountain range on Gallifrey, overlooking the Cadonflood River. The Doctor returned there in his seventh incarnation.**_

_**The House of Oakdown**__** was one of the Newblood houses of Gallifrey. It was, on the whole, a respectable house. It was the Master's House**_

_**The **__**House of Redloom**____**was one of the Great Houses of Gallifrey. Its members were noted for being inquisitive as well as for their initiative**_


	11. Chapter 11 The idiot's lantern part 1

_**The idiot's lantern part 1**_

"Finished," the Hatter smiled as she looked at her new sonic screwdriver. It was silver with a dark purple end. She had also added isomorphic controls. The Hatter gave it one more look over before slipping it into her new jacket pocket.

Her new jacket was a dark brown, trench coat simular to the Doctor's but more girly. She had made sure that it had dimensionally transcendent pockets. The Hatter was just putting away everything she had used to build the sonic away when the Doctor walked through the open door and flopped, his self on the Hatter's couch.

The Hatter spun her chair around to look at him, "What's wrong with you?"

"Rose," the Doctor sighed, "She's upset about Mickey leaving and won't come out of her room".

"Well, I can understand that," the Hatter nodded, "Your worried about her?" the Doctor nodded, "Well, have you thought about taking her somewhere that she might like. What about visiting old Leonardo Da Vinci? Or taking her to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows? I know that you love that book".

"Brilliant!" the Doctor jumped up running out the door before running back, pocking his head inside, "Put something from 1956 on, where going to go see Elvis," he then run down the corridor calling Rose's name.

"It's like living with a five year old," the Hatter muttered shaking her head.

...

The TARDIS door opened and a much happier Rose stepped out. She was decked out in a big, pink skirt with layers of netting, pink heels and a blue jean jacket. Her hair was done up in a bun with a pink scarf holding it back.

"I thought we'd be going for the Vegas era," Rose called over her shoulder, "You know, the white flares and the..." she growled, "Chest hair".

The Doctor pocked his head out, his hair gelled back, "You are kidding, aren't you? You wanna see Elvis; you go in the late 50s! The time before burgers," he stepped back inside, "When they called him 'the Pelvis' and he still had a waist".

Rose laughed at that just as the Hatter stepped out of the TARDIS. She was dressed in a dark red skirt similar to Rose's, but with black polka dots on it. Her shirt was also dark red with short sleeves. Gone was her scarf, replaced with a string of pearls and matching earrings. She had curled her hair and had put it up in elegant bun with a black, netted, hat on top of her head. She also had red lipstick, black high heels, black lace gloves and black stockings.

"I can't remember the last time I dressed like this," the Hatter said looking down at her dress, "I have never really been one to dress for the era I was in. Not in less I needed to".

"What's more, you see him in style!" the Doctor continued from inside the TARDIS.

The Hatter and Rose turned, watching as the Doctor rode out of the TARDIS on a TARDIS blue moped with sidecar on the side. Rose laughed as the Doctor stopped in front of them, big sunglasses and whit helmet.

He curled his lip, trying to sound like Elvis, "You goin' my way, dolls?"

"Not if you're going to spend the whole day talking like that," the Hatter laughed, "Please tell me that you're not going to talk to Elvis like that".

Rose pulled out some pink sunglasses and put them on, "Is there any other way to go, daddy-o?" She smiled, walking over to the moped, hopping on the back as the Hatter sat in the sidecar, "Straight from the fridge, man!"

The Doctor laughed, "Hey, you speak the lingo!" he tossed her a pink helmet, passing the Hatter a black one.

"You did the moped thing just to annoy me," the Hatter said pointing at her hat, "How am I going to get this on with my hat?" not waiting for a answer she put the helmet in her lap, "Just drive carefully, Doctor".

The Doctor shook his head still grinning.

"Yeah, well...me, mum, Cliff Richard movies every Bank Holiday Monday".

"Ah, Cliff! I knew your mother'd be a Cliff fan," the Doctor grinned, and with that, he pulled away, zooming down the street.

"Where we off to?" Rose asked after a moment.

"ED Sullivan TV Studios," the Doctor replied, "Elvis did 'Hound Dog' on one of the shows, there were loads of complaints. Bit of luck, we'll just catch it".

"And that'll be TV Studios in, New York?" Rose asked and the Hatter had to stop herself from laughing already knowing that they were in England.

"That's the one!" the Doctor grinned just as a red double-decker bus drove past them. The Doctor stopped at the sight and the Hatter laughed. All around them were Union flags hanging from the rooftops.

"Digging the New York vibe!" Rose laughed.

"Well...this COULD still be New York," the Doctor said, "I mean this looks very New York to me...sort of...Londony New York, mind..."

"What are all the flags for?" Rose asked.

"Hatter, I can see by your laughter that you know where we are," the Doctor said looking over at her.

"London, England," the Hatter laughed as the Doctor pulled up, getting out of the sidecar she walked over to a man looking in back of a van, "Sorry to interrupt sir, but could you possibly tell me and my friends what all the flags are for?"

"Where've you been living?" the man asked looking in-between them, "Out in the Colonies? Coronation, of course".

"What Coronations that, then?" the Doctor asked.

"What d'you mean? THE Coronation".

The Doctor blinked and looked over at the Hatter. She sniffed the air deeply, closing her eyes, "1953, Coronation of Queen Elizabeth. Still, could have been worse. I was there and I have got to say, they sure know how to party the good old royals".

The Doctor grinned, "Oh! Oh, is this 1953?"

"What did I just tell you?" the Hatter shook her head.

"Last time I looked," the Man nodded, "Time for lovely bit of pomp and circumstance, what we do best".

"Look at all the TV aerials..." Rose said looking at the roofs, "Looks like everyone's got one. That's weird; my Nan said tellies were rare they all had to pile into one house".

"Not round here, love," the man grinned, "Magpie's Marvellous Tellies, only five quid a box".

"Oh but this is a BRILLINT year!" the Doctor grinned, "Classic! Technicolour, Everest climbed everything off the ration-" he put on a BBC British news readers accent, "The Nation throwing off the shadows of war and looking forward to a happier, brighter future!" the Hatter and Rose laughed before a woman started shouting.

"Someone help me, please! Ted!"

They looked over to see a man with a blanket over his head, being pushed into the back of a black police car by men in suits.

"I knew I should have gone with flats," the Hatter muttered as they ran over to the woman now shouting again.

"Leave him alone, it's my husband!"

"What's going on?" the Doctor asked the woman.

A young teenage boy ran out of one of the houses across the street.

"Oi, what are you doing?" the boy asked running over.

"Police business, now get out of the way!" one of the men ordered.

"Police business?" the Hatter asked, "Why do I get the feeling that there's more to it than that?"

"Who did they take?" Rose asked, turning to the boy, "Do you know him?"

"Must be Mr. Gallagher..." the boy answered, watching as the car drove off leaving Mrs. Gallagher crying. An older woman stepped out behind the boy, clearly his mother, "It's happing all over the place. They're turning into monster..."

"What do you mean monster?" the Hatter asked turning right around, "In what way?"

Before the boy could answer a man stormed out of the house behind his wife, looking furies, "Tommy!" he yelled, "Not one word! Get inside, now!"

The Hatter was about to say something when she saw Tommy's face, "Sorry," he said, "I'd better do as he says..." Tommy and his mother both hurried back over to the house, closing the door behind them.

The Doctor put his sunglasses back on and run back over to the moped, kicking it to life, "All aboard!"

Rose and the Hatter ran over, the Doctor speed off following the black police car. They speed around a corner, stopping at the sight of a red wall with a wooden market barrow in front of it, two men sweeping the floor. No sign that there had been any car.

"That's cheating," the Hatter said, "Why is it that people always cheat?"

"Lost 'em!" the Doctor remarked, "Hatter any ideas?"

"One or two but I want to be sure first," the Hatter frowned.

"Surprised they didn't turn back and arrest you for reckless driving," Rose breathed having not enjoyed the speed of the chase, "Have you actually PASSED your test?"

"Rose, he didn't even pass his TARDIS test," the Hatter said, "I think it's safe to say he didn't even bother to be tested for this".

"Men in black?" the Doctor shook his head, not listing, "Vanishing police car? This is Churchill's England, not Stalin's Russia!"

"Stalin had a thing for me," the Hatter remarked, "That was one trip that didn't last long I can tell you".

"Monster, that boy said..." Rose said, thoughtful, ignoring the Hatter, "Maybe we should go and ask the neighbours".

"That's what I like about you," the Doctor smiled over his shoulder, "The domestic approach".

Rose grinned and the Hatter tried to cover her laughter with a cough, "Thank you..." she trailed off seeing the Hatter with her hand over her mouth and realized something, "Hold on, was that an insult?"

The Doctor didn't answer; he kicked the moped back to life, taking off.

...

They didn't have to wait long after ringing the doorbell of Tommy's house before it was opened by the man from earlier. For some reason he looked very much like someone the Hatter had once seen in a photo. Come to think about Tommy also looked like someone she knew...

"Hiiiiii!" the Doctor, the Hatter and Rose said together.

The Man looked at them; from behind him, Tommy could be seen in the background, "Who are you, then?"

The Hatter looked him up and down before pulling out the Doctor's psychic paper that she had stolen from him earlier, "We represent Queen and Country!" both Rose and the Doctor looked her and the Doctor started looking through his pockets, "Just doing a little check of Her Majesty's forthcoming subjects for the great day. Don't mind if we come in? Didn't think you did, thank you! Come along Doctor, Rose, your letting the cold air in".

She barged past the gapping man before he could say anything with Rose and the Doctor following her.

"I like what you did with the place," the Hatter nodded looking around the living room, "Very nice".

"Very well kept!" the Doctor also nodded looking around, "I'd like to congratulate you, Mrs..."

"Connolly," Tommy's mother told them.

"No!" the Hatter jumped looking as if Christmas had came early, "As in Thomas Eddie Connolly?" she turned to look at Tommy who nodded looking surprised, "Oh, this is brilliant! I mean super bad but still brilliant!"

Everyone looked at her, "Hatter?" the Doctor asked but she shook her head.

"Tell you later," the Hatter said still grinning, "Oh, this is Christmas".

"Now then Rita, I can handle this," Mr. Connolly said after a moment, "This gentleman's a proper representative!" the Hatter frowned, watching the look on Rita's face, seeing her husband. The Doctor winked reassuringly at Rita as Rose perched herself on the arm of the sofa, "Don't mind the wife, she rattles on a bit".

"Well maybe she should do some more so called 'Rattling'," the Hatter said shocking Mr. Connolly and Tommy, "I'm sorry to say but I'm not convinced that you're doing your patriotic duty," she glanced at the flags on a table, not yet put up, "I love a flag me. Why are they not flying?"

Mr. Connolly hesitated a moment, "There we are Rita, I told you, get them up, Queen and Country!"

The Doctor and the Hatter frowned.

"I'm sorry..." Rita started to say.

"Get it done!" Mr. Connolly ordered, "Do it now!"

"Hold on a minute..." the Doctor began.

"Like the gentleman and lady says..." Mr. Connolly went on.

"Hold on a minute!" the Doctor repented, finally getting the man's attain, "You've got hands, Mr. Connolly. Two big hands! Why is that your wife's job?"

"It's housework, innit?" Mr. Connolly said.

"And that's a woman's job?" the Hatter asked.

"Course it is!" Mr. Connolly said making the Hatter frown at him, again.

"Mr. Connolly, what gender is the Queen?" the Doctor asked trying to get his point across.

"She's female," Mr. Connolly said after a moment.

"And are you suggesting the Queen does the housework?" the Doctor asked.

Tommy started to smile, watching his dad being given a taste of his own medicine. Tommy glanced over at the woman dressed in red and did a double take when she winked at him.

"No!" Mr. Connolly said, "Not at all!"

"Then get busy," the Doctor stepped forward and handed the man the flags.

"Right," Mr. Connolly nodded, "Yes sir," he turned, ready to hang the flags, not looking to happy about it but trying to seem enthusiastic, "You'll be proud of us, sir! We'll have Union Jacks left, right and center!"

Rose suddenly stood, her hands on her hips, turning to Mr. Connolly, " 'Scuse me, Mr. Connolly, hang on a minute! Union Jacks?"

He paused, looking over his shoulder, "Yes, that's right, isn't it?"

"That's the Union flag," Rose pointed out, "It's the Union Jack only when flown at sea".

"Oh..." Mr. Connolly nodded, "Oh, I'm sorry I do apologize!"

Rose smiled enjoying herself, "Well, don't get it wrong again, there's a good man," she then grow serious; "Now get to it!"

The Doctor nodded at Rose, sitting on the sofa, Rose sitting immediately beside him while the Hatter went and stood behind the sofa watching Mr. Connolly out of the corner of her eye.

"Right then!" the Doctor grinned, "Nice and comfy, at Her Majesty's leisure!" he turned quietly to Rose, "Union flags?"

"Mum went out with a sailor," Rose whispered.

"Oh, ho, ho, hoo!" the Doctor laughed, "I bet she did!" he turned back to the room, "Anyway, I'm the Doctor and this is Rose and that's the Hatter behind us, and you are?"

He turned to Tommy but the Hatter spoke first, "That's Tommy, or just Tom, or Thomas". Everyone looked at her but she didn't seem to notices.

The Doctor and Rose shifted aside, making room for Tommy to sit, "Well sit yourself down, Tommy!" the Doctor grinned before motioning to a chair to his left for Rita. All of them looked at the television for a moment, "Have a look at this. I love telly, don't you?"

"Yeah, I think it's brilliant!" Tommy grinned.

"Wait until you get colour," the Hatter said so only the Doctor could hear.

"Good man!" the Doctor laughed watching the T.V for a few moments. The Doctor glanced back to check on Mr. Connolly, "Keep working Mr. C!" he then turned to Rita, his cheerful act gone, speaking quietly to her, "Now, why don't you tell me what's wrong?"

Rita hesitated a moment, "Did you say you were a doctor?"

"Yes I am," the Doctor nodded.

"Can you help her?" Rita asked, almost pleading, "Oh please, can you help her, Doctor?"

"Now then Rita," Mr. Connolly cut in, "I don't think the gentleman needs to know..."

"No, the gentleman and _lady_ both need to know," the Hatter frowned at Mr. Connolly, "Now, would you be a dear and shut up?" she turned back around facing Rita, "Sorry Rita, I can call you Rita can't I?" Rita nodded, "You just take your time, Rita".

Rita took a few deep breaths to stop herself from crying as Rose sat beside her, "Tell us what's wrong and we can help".

Even with trying to calm herself she still bust into sobs. Rose started rubbing her back, trying to calm her down, while the Hatter sat on Rita's other side and gave her a one arm hug.

"I'm sorry," Rose breathed, "Come on, come on..."

"It's alright Rita," the Hatter said gently, "Everything is going to be alright. The Doctor and I are going to help you, Tommy, why don't you go and make your mother a cup of tea?"

"Hold on a minute!" Mr. Connolly shouted before Tommy could stand up, "Queen and Country's one thing, this is _my_ house!" he looked down at the flags in his hands, chucking them down, "What the...what the hell am I doing? Now listen here, Doctor!" he stormed over to them, "You may have fancy qualifications, but what goes on under my roof is my business!"

"Keep shouting, I think there was a man on the other side of London that didn't hear you," the Hatter said before she stood up walking over to Mr. Connolly, "And as for what goes on under your roof...well I think we all know what goes on around here".

"All the people being bundled into..." the Doctor began.

"I am talking!" Mr. Connolly yelled at the top of his voices right into the Hatter's face.

The Hatter went to open her mouth but founder herself being moved to the side by the Doctor, "And we're not listening!" he glared at Mr. Connolly, standing in front of him, "Now you, Mr. Connolly, are staring into a deep, dark PIT of trouble if you don't let us help!" the Hatter put her hand on the Doctor's shoulder to try to calm him down, "So I'm ordering you, sir," he went on forcing his self to relax, "To tell us what's going on".

Mr. Connolly blinked rapidly, when a banging noise sounded over head. Everyone looked up. The Hatter noticed that Rita sighed; shaking her head and that Tommy looked around nervously.

"She won't stop," Mr. Connolly told them as the banging got louder, "She never stops"

"Who?" the Hatter asked, looking around at the Connolly's.

"We started hearing storeys," Tommy began, making everyone look at him, "All round the place. People who've...changed. Families keeping it secret 'cos they were scared," Rita looked down and Mr. Connolly looked slightly ashamed, "The police started finding out. We don't know how, no one does. They just...turn up, come to the door and take 'em. Any time of the day or night".

"Show us," the Doctor said.

Tommy led them up the stairs, down the hall to a door at the end, "Gran?" he called as he slowly opened the door, "It's Tommy," he stepped inside, allowing the Doctor, the Hatter, Rose and his parents to see inside the dark bedroom, "It's alright Gran, I've brought help".

On the other side of the room by the window was a silhouette of an old woman, but then she started to move towards them. Tommy stepped a little further into the room, turning the light on. Rose gasped, seeing that the woman had no face at all, all her features gone, the skin left smooth like a mask.

The Doctor and the Hatter stepped forward, both peering at the blank face. Rose moved over to the side of the room while Tommy and Rita stood close together near the door. Mr. Connolly stood outside the room.

"Her face is completely gone," the Doctor muttered. He reached for his sonic but the Hatter stopped him stepping closer.

"Let me try something first," the Hatter said. She moved in front of the woman, putting two fingers on her temples, closing her eyes but all she could see was black, "That's very wrong..."

"What is?" the Doctor asked.

"There's barely any electrical impulse left," the Hatter sighed opening her eyes and stepping back, "I have never seen anything like this. Not in someone living that is. It's almost complete neural shutdown, it's as if she's just ticking over..." she sighed again, "It's like her brain has been...wiped clean, how I have no idea".

"What're we gonna do?" Tommy asked, "We can't even feed her!"

Before anyone could speak there was a crash downstairs, someone braking the door down.

"We've got company," Rose called.

"Brilliant," the Hatter grounded.

"It's them!" Rita gasped, "They've come for her!"

"Rita, what was she doing before this happened?" the Hatter asked turning to face the woman, "Where was she?"

Rita hesitated at the sound of the police running up the stairs, looking over her shoulder.

"Tell us, quickly," the Doctor said, "Think!"

"I can't think!" Tommy shook his head glancing over his shoulder, "She doesn't leave the house! She was just..."

He was cut off by a large man walking into the room with another man.

"Hold on a minute!" the Doctor stepped forward in front of the Hatter, "There are three important, brilliant, and complicated reasons why you should listen to me. One..."

One of the men punched the Doctor clear across his face, hard, sending him into the Hatter, unconscious before they both hit the ground. The Hatter founder herself lying on the ground with the Doctor, finding it hard to breath. Not that Rose seemed to care about the Hatter gasping for breath and not being able to move the Doctor off her.

"Doctor!" Rose cried kneeling on the ground next to the Doctor and Hatter not taking any notices of the Hatter.

"Leave her alone!" Rita shouted as her mother was taken away but they just shoved her out of the way, "Mum!"

"Doctor!" Rose shouted, shacking him, "Doctor!"

"Rose, help me roll him off me," the Hatter gasped still having a little trouble breathing but recovering quickly.

"Don't hurt her," Rita yelled.

"Back inside, Rita!" Mr. Connolly demand.

"She's my mother!" Rita argued.

"Back inside now, I said!"

Rose slapped the Doctor and suddenly he sat up and the Hatter could move, "Ah, hell of a right hook!" he exclaimed, "Have to watch out for that!" he looked behind him to see the Hatter sitting on the floor breathing a little too deeply, "What happened to you?"

"You landed on top of me," the Hatter said slowly standing up, "Ended up winding me, but that's not what matters right now, come on," she took a breath before running past the Doctor and Rose and down the stairs.

The Doctor jumped up also running down the stairs with Rose just behind him.

"Don't fight it, back inside!" Connolly was trying to control his family.

The Doctor and the Hatter pushed past them and ran over to the moped, "Rose, come on!" the Doctor called as the Hatter jumped in the sidecar.

"Get back inside!" Mr. Connolly shouted at his family but they refused to listen.

"But dad they took her!" Tommy cried.

"Go back inside, don't fight it..."

"Rose, we're gonna lose them again!" the Doctor shouted, putting his helmet on.

"Doctor, we don't have time!" the Hatter said.

"Dad, they took her!" Tommy struggled against his father's arms, "That was Gran and they took her!"

"Come on, back inside now," Mr. Connolly pushed Tommy back inside.

The Doctor looked back at the house before kicking the moped into life, speeding off after the car. They ended up stopping at the same dead end as earlier, with the red wall and the old wagon with two men sweeping.

"Clever," the Hatter remarked, "This was one of my first ideas from earlier, looks like I was right".

"Oh, very good!" the Doctor nodded along with the Hatter, "Very good!'

"Do you think if we asked them nicely they would move?" the Hatter asked the Doctor.

"What do you think?" the Doctor asked.

"I didn't think so," the Hatter sighed before grinning, "I have an idea, come on we need to park this thing".

_**I hope you liked it, what's this? Is the Hatter punching someone in the next chapter? Could be. Anyway the next chapter is a little longer then this chapter please review and tell me what you think :)**_


	12. Chapter 12 The idiot's lantern part 2

_**The idiot's lantern part two.**_

The Doctor parked the moped at the side of the alley and together the Doctor and the Hatter crept around the building, looking for a way in. Finley they came to a small gate in the side of the wall.

"I thought you just finished your sonic screwdriver," the Doctor said taking out his own sonic to open the gate.

"Left it in my coat," the Hatter shrugged slipping through the now open gate, "I thought about bring a bag but couldn't be bothered carrying it everywhere".

"No that would be my job," the Doctor said shaking his head, "Come on, I think I can see some lights".

It was some sort of warehouse. Two police men were outside it locking a cage-like gate. They waited until they had gone inside before the Doctor and the Hatter ran, quietly as they could over to the dark cage. From the outside it looked like there were several dozen people inside.

The Doctor flashed the sonic at the lock, quietly opened the door, slipping inside with the Hatter.

"Looks like we found where there keeping all the people they kidnapped," the Hatter whispered to the Doctor the people where all like Tommy's Grandmother, missing their faces. They were just standing straight, clutching and un-clutching their fists.

The Doctor nodded, "I didn't realise how many people had been affected".

"Doctor, look," the Hatter said after a moment of silence. The Doctor turned to see all the people slowly shuffling towards them. The Doctor and the Hatter stepped back, the Doctor tried to stand in front of the Hatter when a bright light from behind them flared making the Hatter jump slightly. They looked over their shoulders, squinting though the bright light to see the three men from earlier standing next to a car with the headlights on.

"Stay where you are!" one of the men wearing a hat ordered.

"What are we going to do?" the Hatter rolled her eyes, "Run out of the cage door and think where not going to be court or shot. I don't know about you Doctor but I'm ready".

...

"Start from the beginning, tell me everything you know," the man wearing the hat said standing over the Doctor and the Hatter, who were both sitting on the other side of the hat mans desk.

"Well..." the Doctor began, "For starters... I know I can't wrap your hand around your elbow and make your fingers meet".

"And not to forget that you can't tickle yourself," the Hatter added.

The hat man pointed at the two of them, "Don't get clever with me. You were there today at Florizel Street, and now breaking into this establishment. You're connected with this. Make no mistake".

"Well, the thing is, Detective Inspector Bishop..." the Doctor began only to be cut off.

"How do you know my name?" Bishop asked, looking in-between them both.

"It's...written inside your collar," the Hatter nodded to Bishops collar.

Bishop looked embarrassed and slightly put out, adjusting his collar.

"Bless you mum," the Hatter and Doctor said in unison smirking before the Doctor went on, "But, I can't help thinking, Detective Inspector, you're not exactly doing much detective inspecting. Are you?"

"I'm doing everything in my power," Bishop defended his self.

"All you're doing is grabbing those poor faceless people and hiding them as fast as you can," the Hatter argued going to stand but being pushed back down in her seat, "Hand's off, please. As I was saying, Orders from above? Coronation Day...the eyes of the world are on London Town...so any sort of problem just gets swept out of sight".

Bishop looked over at her irritation clearly written all over his face. The Doctor on the hand coved his laughter with a cough.

"The nation has an image to maintain," Bishop stated.

"Doesn't it drive you mad?" the Hatter asked cutting in, "Doing nothing? Don't you want to get out there and investigate?"

"Course I do but..." Bishop sat down wearily, "With all the crowds expected, we haven't got the manpower. Even if we did...this is...beyond anything we've ever seen," he sighed, "I just don't know anymore. Twenty years on the force..." the Doctor and the Hatter glanced at each other, "...I don't even know where to start. We haven't the faintest clue what's going on".

"Well...that could change..." the Doctor trailed off.

"How?" Bishop asked looking at him.

The Doctor stood, now looking down at Bishop, "My brilliant friend here...let's call her the Hatter," he grinned down at the Hatter who shook her head before looking back at Bishop, "Is the most brilliant person at working out things. Call it a party trick if you will but if there is anyone I know she is the one that will solve this," he pretend not to notices the look the Hatter were giving him, "Hatter, have anything to say?"

The Hatter rolled her eyes turning to face Bishop, "Start from the beginning. Tell me everything you know".

...

The Doctor, the Hatter, and Bishop were standing around a large map on a stand, "We started finding them about a month ago," Bishop explained to the Hatter, "Persons left sans visage. Heads just...blank".

"Not much also going on inside either," the Hatter sighed.

"Is there any sort of pattern?" the Doctor asked as the Hatter picked up a file.

"Yes, spreading out from North London," Bishop nodded, "All over the city. Men, woman, kids...grannies...only REAL lead is there's been quite a large number..."

"Florizel Street," the Hatter finished not looking up from the file, "Thought as much".

There was knock on the door and they all looked up to see a policemen entire, "Found another one, sir," he opened the door wider, moving a blanket coved person inside the room. The Hatter looked up from the file, dropping it on the floor when she realised who it was under the blanket.

"Oh, er, good man, Crabtree," Bishop nodded frowning slightly at the Hatter, "Here we are, Hatter..." the Hatter watched as the Doctor walked slowly over to the figure, the Hatter followed just behind him, "Take a good look. See what you can deduce".

The police man removed the blanket, revelling Rose's blank face. The Doctor and the Hatter eyes winded in horror, "Rose".

"We should never have left her," the Hatter said staring at Rose not being able to look away, "Oh, Rose..."

"Do you know her?" Bishop frowned, looking in-between them.

"Know her?" the Doctor shook his head, "She..." he stopped, swallowing hard, looking straight at Rose's featureless face.

"They found her in the street, apparently," Crabtree told Bishop, "Over at Master Square, abandoned".

"That's unusual, that's the first one out in the open," Bishop said making the Hatter wince. She could just about feel the argue rolling off the Doctor, "Heaven help us if something happens in public tomorrow for the big day, we'll have Torchwood on out back, make no mistake," Bishop went on.

"They did what?" the Doctor asked, suddenly unable to hold his arguer back.

"I'm sorry?" Bishop asked looking over at the Doctor's back.

"They left her where?" the Doctor demanded again trying not lose his temper even more.

"Just...in the street".

"In the street," the Doctor said far too calm sounding, "They left her in the street. They took her face and just chucked her out and left her in the street and as a result that makes things...simple, very, very, very, simple," he took off his glass looking over his shoulder, "Do you know why?"

"No," Bishop said glancing at the Hatter.

"Because now Detective Inspector Bishop, there is no power on this Earth that could stop me!" the Doctor shouted making the Hatter jump.

"Doctor," the Hatter moved forward making the Doctor turn, "Please calm down. I swear to you on our friendship that we will find who or what did this to Rose, but you are going to need to calm down. Please".

The Doctor seemed to pause a moment, looking surprised at the Hatter before storming out of the room.

"I thought you of all people would have been able to get through to him," Bishop said, following the Hatter as she walked out of the door after the Doctor.

"I did," the Hatter said, "Trust me; the Doctor would be even angrier right now. The thing about the Doctor is that you have to be forceful but truthful when he's angry and you're trying to get him to see reason. I just hope that Rose is un-harmed because if Rose is in anyway hurt...they won't just have the Doctor to deal with".

...

When they arrived at the Connolly's house, the Doctor rang the doorbell and Tommy opened the door moments later.

"Tommy, great to see you again, how's the mum and dad?" not waiting for an answer the Hatter jumped right to the point, "Look, I need to know exactly happened inside your house".

Tommy nodded, stepping outside, shutting the door behind him only for his father to yank the door back open, "What the blazes do you think you're doing?" he demanded.

"Talk about flash back to Harry potter," the Hatter said thinking about the scended movie, with Uncle Vernon.

"I wonna help, dad," Tommy told him.

"Mr. Connolly..." the Doctor said.

"Shut your face, you," Mr. Connolly rounded on the Doctor but the Doctor didn't even blink, "Whoever you are we can handle this ourselves," he turned back to Tommy, glaring down at him, "Listen you, little twerp. You're hardly out of the bloomin' cradle, so I don't expect you to understand. But I've got a position to maintain. People round her _respect _me. It MATTERS what people THINK!"

"Is that why you did it, dad?" Tommy asked, frowning.

Mr. Connolly looked taken aback for a moment, "What'd you mean? Did what?"

"You ratted on Gran," Tommy said, "How else would the police know where to look? Unless some coward told them..."

"How DARE you?" Mr. Connolly shouted but also looking a little put out about being court, "You think I fought a war just so a mouthy little scum like you could call me a coward?"

"Mr. Connolly-" the Hatter started to say but Tommy cut her off.

"You don't get it, do you?" Tommy shook his head, "You fought AGAINST fascism, remember? People telling you how to live, who you could be friends with, who you could fall in love with, who could live and who had to die. Don't you get it? You were fighting so that little twerps like me could DO what we want. SAY what we want. Now you've become just like them. You've been informing on everyone, haven't you? Even Gran. All to protect you precious reputation".

"Eddie...is that true?" Rita asked coming outside.

"I did it for US, Rita!" Mr. Connolly turned to her, "She was FLITHY. A filthy, disgusting THING!"

"She's my _mother_," Rita shook her head, "All the others, you informed on all the people in our street, out friends".

"I had to," Mr. Connolly said, "I did the right thing..."

"The right thing for us? Or for you, Eddie?" Rita asked shaking her head turning to Tommy, "You go, Tommy. You go with the Hatter and the Doctor, do some good. Get away from this house. It's poison. We had ruddy monster under this roof, alright, but it weren't my mother!"

She turned back around, walking inside, slamming the door shut on Mr. Connolly's face.

"Rita?" Mr. Connolly called through the door.

"Mr. Connolly?" the Hatter stepped forward as Mr. Connolly turned around, "I have something to say. Usually I hate all types of violence...but today I think I can over look that little thing," she said before punching him in the face. Mr. Connolly stumbled backwards into the door as the Hatter shock her wrist turning back around to face three very stunned men, "You have no idea how long I have been waiting to do that. That was well worth a sore wrist any day".

"You...you...you..." Tommy said staring at the Hatter incomplete shock and amazement.

"Just punched your father, yes I did," the Hatter said looking her hand wincing slightly, "I don't know why you're so surprised Tommy, I'm sure it's not the first time nor do I think it will be the last," she looked up at Tommy, "Believe me Tommy".

The Hatter glanced back at Mr. Connolly who was still sitting on the ground looking slightly dazed before walking past the still shocked Doctor and Bishop and on to the street.

"Tommy, tell us about that night," the Doctor said shacking his self out shook and following the Hatter, "The night she changed".

"She was just watching the telly," Tommy shrugged still looking shocked.

"Rose said it," the Hatter stoped suddenly face palming herself, "This is last time I don't sleep for a week. She guessed it straight away. All those aerials in one little street, why? Oh, it's been staring us right in the face".

"Bloke up the street," Tommy answered, "Mr. Magpie, he's selling them cheap".

The Doctor and the Hatter looked at each other before running down the street, the Hatter at a slightly slower pace then what she would usually with her heels and dress. Bishop and Tommy followed right behind them.

"We need to get in," the Hatter sighed, looking in the window of Magpie's shop, "Doctor, sonic".

The Doctor flashed the sonic and the door opening it.

"Hey, you can't do that..." Bishop said.

"Just watch us," the Hatter said walking through the door with the Doctor.

"Shop?" the Doctor yelled, pressing a bell on the counter so many times that the Hatter was surprised it didn't break, "If you're here, come out and talk to us! MAGPIE!"

"Maybe he's out?" Tommy suggested.

"I don't know...it looks like it..." the Hatter trailed off walking around the counter, looking through all the paperwork, the Doctor did the same on the other end. After a moment the Doctor pulled out a device that looked like a portable radio and a TV.

He looked at it frowning, "This isn't right. This is very much not right..." he picked it up, licking it, "Iron? No...Bakelite," he placed it back on the counter, "Put together with human hands, yes, but the design it's self..." he started to sonic it, "Oh, beautiful work...that is so simple..."

"Very impressive," the Hatter agreed looking down at the device.

"That's incredible," Bishop remarked staring at the device, "It's like a television, but portable. A portable television!"

"Wait until you get portable telephones," the Hatter commented, "Hang on, Doctor give me the sonic," he past her the sonic and she lifted it up, making all the in the room become static, "It's not the only power source in here..." she changed the setting and the static cleared on the , revealing a different face on each screen, mouthing pleas for help. They walked over to the screens looking at them all.

"Gran?" Tommy breathed, stopping in front of an old woman's face.

"Doctor..." the Hatter gasped looking at screen, "I founder her...face".

The Doctor looked over to see the Hatter kneeling next a screen at the bottom row, where Rose's face was calling 'Doctor' over and over. He knelt down next to the Hatter, unable to take his eyes away from the screen.

"We're on our way," the Doctor promised but it didn't seem like Rose could hear him.

"What do you think you're doing?" someone shouted making the Hatter jump. They looked up to see Mr. Magpie walking into the room from somewhere in the back.

"I want my friend restored," the Doctor demanded standing up and storming over to Magpie.

"You see Mr. Magpie, this is all beyond a little backstreet electrician," the Hatter said walking over to the Doctor and Magpie a little more calmly then the Doctor, "Who's really in charge here? Hmmm? Don't worry, you can tell me, I promise not to tell on you and I always keep my promises".

Magpie flinched as one of the switched from a face to the face of middle age woman, "Yoo hoo!" she called sweetly, "I think that must be me," they all turned to look at the screen, "Ooh, these two are smart as paint!"

"What colour would you say we are?" the Hatter asked moving to walk over but the Doctor stopped her, "This body seems to be found of purple but I do love burnt orange or ruby red. The Doctor's the same but without purple".

"Just once Hatter could you not provoke the bad guy?" the Doctor whispered in the Hatter's ear.

"I could try but where's the fun in that?" the Hatter whisper back.

"Is she talking to us?" Bishop asked pointing at the screen.

"Sorry ladies and gentlemen," Magpie sighed looking unhappy, "I'm...I'm afraid you've brought this on yourselves. May I introduce you to my new...friend".

"Jolly nice to meet you," the woman smiled at them.

"I would say the same but-" the Hatter started to say but the Doctor put his hand over her mouth already guessed that she was going to finish with, "...but I would be lying".

"Oh my God, it's her, that woman off the telly," Bishop said.

"No," the Doctor shook his head, "It's just using her image".

"What...what are you?" Tommy asked the woman.

"I'm the Wire," the Wire smirked, "And I will gobble you up, pretty boy. Every last morsel. And when I have feasted, I shall regain the corporeal body, which my fellow-kind denied me".

The screen then turned technicolour.

"Good lord...colour television!" Bishop gasped in amazement.

"So your own people tried to stop you?" the Hatter asked.

"They executed me," the Wire told them, "But I escaped, in this form, and fled across the stairs".

"And now you're trapped in the television," the Hatter smirked and went on as the Wire faded, turning herself back to black and white, "I once knew a Time Lord called Morbius who was also executed and got away," she pretend to look thoughtful, "Until he meet the Doctor and I that is and our friend Sarah Jane Smith".

"Not for much longer," the Wire said ignoring the Hatter's last comments.

"Is this what got my Gran?" Tommy asked, frowning.

"I'm sorry Tommy, yes," the Hatter nodded looking over at the boy, "It feeds off the electrical activity of the brain, but it can't stop there. She takes people's faces, their essences. It stuffs itself, like an overfed pig".

"And you let her do it, Magpie?" Bishop asked turning to the man.

"I had to!" Magpie exclaimed, "She allowed me my face! She's promised to release me at the time of manifestation".

"What does that mean?" Tommy asked looking confused.

"The appointed time," the Wire smiled sweetly, "My crowning glory".

"The Coronation!" Bishop gasped.

"For the first time in history, millions gathered around a television set," the Hatter said, "But she's not strong enough yet. She can't do it all from here. It's why she needs this," She pointed at the small television in the Doctors hands, "Something more powerful that can turn a big transmitter into a big receiver".

"What a clever thing you are!" the Wire smiled at the Hatter and the Doctor moved to stand in front of her, hiding her from view, "But why fret about it? Why not just relax? Kick off your shoes and enjoy the coronation. Believe me, you'll be glues to the screen".

Red lines started coming around the screen of the TV, shooting out at the Doctor, Tommy, and Bishops faces, before they hit the Doctor, he had pushed the Hatter on to the floor before she knew what he was doing.

"Doctor! Hatter!" Tommy and Bishop shouted as their faces where hit.

"Stop her Magpie!" the Hatter shouted jumping to her feet looking back to Magpie and then to the Wire, "Can't you see that once she has what she wants it won't matter if she lets you live!"

"Hungry !" the Wire moaned closer her eyes, "Hungry! The Wire is hungry! Ah! This one is tasty!" the red light become bright attached to the Doctor, "Oh! I'll have lashings of him! Delicious! Ah!"

"The Doctor and I are close but that's one thing that I really didn't need to know!" the Hatter shouted trying to distract the Wire but the Wire was too busy feeding to hear.

That's when the Hatter had a sudden idea. She ducked her arm under the red light attached to the Doctor's face and pulled his sonic screwdriver out of his pocket pointing it at the Wire's screen.

"Let them go, Wire!" the Hatter shouted pointing the sonic but not using it, "Or I will use this!"

"She's armed," the Wire gasped eyeing the Hatter, "Armed and clever. Withdraw, withdraw!"

The light pulled away, the Doctor, Bishop, and Tommy fall to the floor, unconscious. The force of the power being withdrawal hit the Hatter forcing her to the floor next to the unconscious Doctor, dazed and slightly confused.

"The box, Magpie!" the Wire ordered, "The box!" Magpie rushed forward, grabbing the portable TV from next to the Doctor and the Hatter who were still on the floor. Magpie picket the device up holding it up to the Wire, "Hold tight..."

"No...Magpie...please...listen..." the Hatter gasped slowly coming back to what was happing, "...Magpie...you...don't...have...too..."

But Magpie wasn't listing.

The Wire jumped from her TV and into the portable one, "Conduct me to my victory, Magpie!"

"You're a fool Wire if you think you're going to get away!" the Hatter shouted as Magpie ran out of the door. She stopped, taking a deep breath holding her head before turning on her side facing the Doctor, lightly slapping his face, "Doctor!" she shouted slowly sitting up still slapping his face, "Doctor wake up! You're not going to believe it! Tommy and Mr. Bishop are dancing around the room singing Barbie girl!"

The Doctor jerked awake looking around, slightly dazed before rolling to his feet, helping the Hatter as he did. They both looked over to see Bishop on the floor missing his face but thankfully Tommy was alright, "Tommy, wake up!" the Doctor called leaning over him, "Tommy! Come on!"

"What happened?" Tommy asked, dazed.

"Where's Magpie?" the Doctor asked the Hatter.

"He took off with the Wire," the Hatter shook her head; "I tried to tell him that he had a choice but he's too scared".

The Doctor nodded, running out of the door with Tommy and the Hatter following him. From where they were standing, they could see Magpies van already half why down the street.

"We don't even know where to start looking, it's too late," Tommy sighed looking helpless.

"It's never too late, a wise person once said," the Doctor quoted looking around for something.

"Good old Kylie," the Hatter laughed before turning to Tommy, "Remember that quote, Tommy. Also, nothing is impossible just a bit unlikely".

"But the Wire got a plan...so it'll need-" the Doctor started to say but the Hatter cut him off.

"It's got to harness half the population, millions and millions of people..." the Hatter trailed off looking around before sporting it, "There!" she pointed at it, "Alexander Palace, biggest TV transmitter in North London!"

"What are you going to do?" Tommy asked as the Hatter ran past him.

"Oh, you know this that but first, shopping!" the Hatter poked her out grinning before running back inside, "Doctor, come on!"

...

The Hatter ran around the back of Magpies shop picking up things and passing them to the Doctor who was doing the same thing.

"Is this what you want?" Tommy asked holding up a device to the Hatter and the Doctor.

"Brilliant!" the Hatter grinned running over taking the device, "Perfect, Right, I need one more thing..." she lifted all the equipment with the help of the Doctor before running out side.

...

The Doctor, the Hatter, and Tommy ran down the street towards Alexander Palace.

"There!" Tommy shouted pointing at the figure of Magpie, climbing the pylon.

"Don't just stand around, Tommy," the Hatter said running off, again.

"Come on!" the Doctor shouted running after the Hatter with Tommy following.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" a guard called, seeing them coming, "Where do you think..." the Doctor flashed his psychic paper at him, "Oh! Sorry sir, madam! Shouldn't you be at the coronation?"

"They're saving us a seat," the Doctor called over his shoulder as they ran around the corner.

"Who did they think you were?" Tommy asked the Doctor.

"The King and Queen of Belgium, apparently," the Doctor answered.

"Great, I'm married to you," the Hatter joked.

They ran into the control room. As soon as they were in their, the Hatter and the Doctor ran around, picking up more equipment while Tommy stood back watching.

"Keep it switched on!" the Doctor told Tommy, "Don't let anyone stop you, Tommy. Everything depends on it, understand?"

Tommy nodded to show he understood.

"Don't worry Tommy," the Hatter called to him as she ran out with the Doctor, "You're going to do brilliantly!"

The Doctor and the Hatter dashed back outside, past the guard, trailing the stream of recoding tap behind them from the reel in the Doctors hand. They ran up the metal stairs towards the pylon, stopping at the base of it.

"Let me do it," the Hatter nodded to the reel.

"No," the Doctor shook his head, "You stay right here".

"Doctor," the Hatter hugged him, "I know that you think that you can keep me safe for ever but I'm a Time Lady, I can't just stand around watching you do everything. That's not me and it never has been. You may not see it but you need to see that I can take care of myself," she stepped away slipping her heels off taking the reel from the Doctor and putting it around herself.

"Hatter-" the Doctor tried to say but the Hatter interrupted him.

"Please Doctor," the Hatter kissed him on the cheek before dashing off after Magpie, "And don't you dare look up my dress!"

"That was years ago not to mention an accident!" the Doctor called up to her only to get a laugh.

"Sure, sure," the Hatter laughed still climbing.

"You'll get yourself killed up there!" the guard shouted, seeing the Hatter climbing, "Your Majesty!"

The Hatter had climbed halfway up the tower when the whole thing started crackling with red energy. She glanced up to see Magpie up the top but she kept on climbing.

"Feasting..." she could hear the Wire shouting as she got closer, "The Wire...is feasting!"

"It's too late!" Magpie shouted to the Hatter as she climbed, "It's too late for all of us!"

"It's never too late, Magpie!" the Hatter shouted as she climbed faster. For a moment one of her stocking coved foot slipped and she only just managed to hold on, "Oh, no you don't, I have already been killed from falling from a tower I am not going to again!"

"I shall consume you...Hatter!" the Wire shouted from above the Hatter.

The Hatter cried out as she was hit with the red light almost falling again, "I want let you do this, Wire!" she shouted as she started climbing.

"Help me Hatter!" Magpie cried from pain, "It burns! It took my face...my soul!"

"You cannot stop the Wire," the Wire laughed, "Soon I shall become manifest".

The Hatter winced when she was blasted again and she could feel the Doctor trying to talk to her telepathy but she blocked him out focusing on what she was supposed to do.

"No more of this!" Magpie pleaded with the Wire, "You promised me peace!"

"And peace you shall have," the Wire said sending a red bolt at Magpie, blowing him to bits in a shower of particles. The Wire laughed as he screamed as he died.

The Hatter reached out, trying to touch the potable TV only to get zapped with another red spark. She took a deep breath and picked up the TV once more, getting shocked again. She grabbed the switch trying to ignore the pain but nothing happened to the TV, it remanded on.

"Oh dear!" the Wire laughed clearly enjoying herself, "Has your little plan gone horribly wrong, Hatter?"

"Come on Tommy," the Hatter breathed closing her eyes, "You're going to save me in the future, what a better time to start now".

Just as the Hatter said that, the light retreated from the pylon, back to the Wire's TV. The Hatter looked down at the Wire feeling a little sadness as the Wire screamed and writhed in pain. With one last scream the television switched its self off leaving a black screen. The Hatter took a deep breath, closer her eyes, leaning her head against the cold metal, un-blocking the Doctor.

"_You did it!" _the Hatter laughed as the Doctor cheered inside her head, "_Come on down, Tommy's probably waiting to see what happened"._

"_I'm coming, be down in a sec"._

...

When they arrived back in the control room, Tommy was watching the coronation on one of the screens. The Doctor told the Hatter that she was never going anywhere without him again, to which she had replied that things where back to normal then. Not that she was happy about the Doctor still being overprotected of her but she knew that it would take time for the Doctor to see that she could look after herself.

"What have we missed?" the Doctor asked making Tommy jump.

"Doctor! Hatter!" Tommy spun around, "What happened?"

"Sorted! Electrical creature, TV technology, clever alien life form-" the Doctor started to say but the Hatter cut him off knowing that he was going to say that she was the clever life form.

"Doctor," she shook her head, "I turned the receiver back into transmitting and trapped the Wire in here," she pointed a device that the Doctor popped open to show a videotape inside, "I just invented the home video 30 years earlier".

"Betamax," the Doctor finished, "Still you could have invented a laptop in the medieval era, oh wait you did!"

"Hey look! God save the Queen," the Hatter said pointing at the screen as the Doctor laughed at her change of subject.

...

They walked back to the Connolly house to find people all over the street, hugging, talking with the once faceless loved ones.

"Gran!" Tommy shouted, running over to an old lady.

"Look, it's my grandson!" the woman beamed at Tommy, "Oh son!"

"You still haven't told me how you know Tommy?" the Doctor remained the Hatter in a whisper.

"I travailed with him in my fifth body," the Hatter whispered smiling slightly, "I didn't recognize him at first, not until I heard his last name. I thought I had seen him before but it didn't click until later. I now understand why he didn't blink when I told him that I was a Time Lady. Or ask what my real name is. At first it was just us and then we met Michael and April. Tommy left a little while later, said that he thought it was time he left. I missed him".

"Did he ever tell you about all of this?" the Doctor asked still whispering.

"No," the Hatter shook her head, "But he did mention that he met a pretty, young woman with red hair who taught him so much more than anyone did in one day," she laughed quietly, "Also that she punched his father and from that moment she was his hero".

They both laughed as Rose spotted them and running over to the Doctor who hadn't seen her and hugged him coursing him to stubble slightly before righting his self.

The Hatter hid her smile at the slightly shocked look on the Doctors face as he hugged Rose; the Hatter walked over to Rita Connolly and started talking with her so the Doctor and Rose could have some time together.

...

You could really feel the 50s vibe in the air as music played and people danced, talked, enjoying everything going on around them. There was a huge lines of tables in the middle of street piled with food and drink. Rose, the Hatter and the Doctor walked next to each other down the street.

"We could go down the mall, join in with the crowd," Rose suggested as the Hatter ate her slice of Victoria sponge cake.

"Nah, that's just pomp and circumstance," the Doctor said, also eating sponge cake, "This is history right here".

"Sort of like the domestic approach," the Hatter suggested smiling.

"Exactly!" the Doctor grinned at her.

"Will it..." Rose said, "That thing...is it trapped for good, on video?"

"Hope so," the Doctor nodded tacking a bit.

"Just to be on the safe side though," the Hatter said seeing that Doctor was too busy eating, "He'll use his unrivalled knowledge of trans-temporal extirpation methods to neutralize the residual electronic pattern".

"You what?" Rose asked not understanding a word.

"I'm going to tape over it," the Doctor said swallowing.

Rose laughed, "Just leave it to me, I'm always doing that!"

They spotted Tommy standing next one of the tables and walked over, "Tell you what Tommy," the Doctor said, "You can have the scooter. Little present. Best...um...keep it in the garage for a few years thought, eh?"

The Hatter gasped, "It was you. I thought it was a little odd that it was the same colour as your TARDIS but I just shrugged it off".

Tommy smiled at them before something over the Doctor's shoulder caught his eye, "Good riddance".

They looked over to see Mr. Connolly walking down the street with a bruised nose and carrying a suitcase.

"Is that right then, Tommy?" the Doctor asked turning back to Tommy, "New monarch, new age, new would, no room for a man like Eddie Connolly".

"That's right," Tommy nodded, still watching his dad, "He deserves it".

Rose nudged him, "Tommy, go after him".

Tommy looked at her, "What for?"

"He's your dad," Rose said.

"He's an idiot," Tommy shrugged.

"Coues he is," Rose said, "Like I said, he's your dad. But you're clever. Clever enough to save the world so don't stop there. Go on!"

Rose smiled giving him another nudge but Tommy shook his head.

"Tommy," the Hatter said making everyone look at her but she was focused Tommy, "I may not like you're father very much..." Tommy smiled remembering the Hatter punching him, "But I once knew a man very much like you who had a dad that was like yours. In fact his dad was also kicked out. That man told me that the best thing he ever did when it came to his dad, was to forgive him. It started a new chapter in their lives. A much happier one and I think that's what you two need. To get to know each other. So, are you ready?"

Tommy looked at her a few minutes before running over to his dad, taking his suitcase and walking off together.

"That man you where talking about..." the Doctor said.

"Eddie Connolly and Tommy Connolly," the Hatter nodded smiling, "I knew that Tommy just need a little push so I thought, as long as I don't use any names everything should be fine".

The Doctor grinned at her, picking up three glass of orange juice, handing them to the Hatter and Rose, holding them up in a toast to the Connolly's. They clicked glass, smiling at each other.

_**I hope you liked it, as you can guess that April's Jones death had a great impact on the Hatter life. A little bit like the Doctor and Andric's death for the fifth Doctor. About Tommy being one of the Hatter's companies, I all ways thought that he would have made a good companion if he had only been older. Anyway, hope you liked it, please review :)**_


	13. Chapter 13 The impossible planet part 1

_**The impossible planet part 1**_

"Stop it," the Hatter said to the Doctor.

"What?" the Doctor asked.

"You're cheating," the Hatter pointed at the checkers board, "I let you get away with it the first seven times but this is getting ridicules. Face it Doctor, your rubbish at checkers".

"I have no idea what you're talking about," the Doctor shook his head, "If any ones cheating, it's you".

"I have no need to cheat, Doctor," the Hatter pointed out, "I unlike you happen to be able to play a board game without cheating".

"Well I want a rematch," the Doctor said.

The Hatter groaned rolling on to her back closing her eyes, "We have been playing checks for the past four hours, can't we do something else? Or travel somewhere even?"

"Nope," the Doctor grinned, "Not until you admit to cheating. Now, Rose where's that cup of tea?"

No replay.

"Rose?" the Doctor called looking confused, "But she was just here!"

"She left after the first hour," the Hatter told him trying not to laugh, "I don't think she was enjoying your calls for rematch every ten minutes. Now can we please go somewhere?"

The Doctor looked at the board and back to the Hatter, "One more game then we can go somewhere".

...

The TARDIS materialized inside a small area, not as smoothly as it should have. The Doctor and the Hatter had some difficulty driving her even. The Doctor, the Hatter, and Rose stepped out moments after landing, looking at the TARDIS.

"I've had smoother landings," the Hatter said patting the side of the TARDIS, "What's wrong, sweetie?"

"I dunno what's wrong with her," the Doctor frowned not noticing how it made it sound as if he was replying to the Hatter, "She's sort of...queasy. Indigestion, like she didn't wanno land..."

"You do know that I wasn't talking to you Doctor, right?" the Hatter laughed.

"Oh, if you think there's gonna be trouble," Rose began sounding serous, "We could always get back inside and go somewhere else..."

For a moment they looked at each other before all of them burst out laughing.

"I think..." the Doctor went on looking around them, "We've landed inside a cupboard! Here we go!" he pushed the door open to show a metal walk way area.

"Open Door 15," a computer announced from a speaker.

"Some sort of base..." the Hatter commuted looking around, "Moon base, sea base, space base...they build these things out of kits".

"Glad we're indoors," Rose frowned, hearing something outside, "Sounds like a storm out there..." she followed after the Doctor and the Hatter as they pushed, open another door.

"Open Door 16".

"Human design," the Doctor added walking down the corridor, "You've got a thing about kits. This place was put together like a flat-pack wardrobe, only bigger. And easier".

"You never saw the inside of my school wardrobe did you?" the Hatter remarked as she opened a door stepping through to find a canteen area, "I think we can say that it's not lunch time".

"Open Door 17".

"Oh, it's a sanctuary base!" the Doctor told them and the Hatter nodded.

"Close Door 17".

"Yep, deep space exploration," the Hatter nodded pulling out her yo-yo from her coat pocket and playing with it, "We've gone _way _out".

"And listen to that, underneath..." the Doctor said looking down at the floor and Rose did the same, "Someone's drilling".

"Whenever humans drill something it always makes me nerves," the Hatter remarked still playing with her yo-yo.

"Welcome to hell," Rose said, looking up at something.

"Oh, it's not THAT bad!" the Doctor exclaimed not realising that Rose was reading something of a wall.

Rose laughed and pointed behind the Doctor and the Hatter, "No, over there!"

"Well, why didn't you say that in the first place?" the Hatter shook her head turning around to see the words 'Welcome to hell' written on the wall in some sort of black spray paint. Underneath the words were odd symbols that the Doctor and the Hatter couldn't understand.

"Hold on..." the Doctor frowned as he and the Hatter ran over to the wall, "What does that say?" he looked at the Hatter who was running her fingers over the symbols frowning, "That's weird. It won't translate. Hatter any ideas?"

"Well...haven't got a clue," the Hatter sighed, "But...I know this bad. Very bad. I don't usually get the feeling to run but this..." she stopped shriving stepping back from the wall, "It's like I know what these symbols are but I blocked them without my knowledge. I...I..." she took a few more steps back closing her eyes before sitting on the floor, shivering.

"Hatter!" the Doctor ran over to her, "Hatter, talk to me!"

After a moment the Hatter stoped shivering and opened her eyes, "Sorry," she said holding her head slightly, "It was as if something was calling me. Slowly braking down my mind barriers, one by one. Trying to see how much I knew. I needed to stop it before it could do any more damage. I'm alright now".

The Doctor looked fare from happy, "How do I know that you haven't been taken over?"

"One of the first things you said to me was, 'It's alright, my mother is always saying that I have a hard head'," the Hatter quoted.

The Doctor nodded helping the Hatter to stand; still looking worried when she swayed slightly before righting herself.

"Anyway," Rose cleared her throat, "I thought the TARDIS translated everything, writing as well? We should see English".

"Exactly," the Doctor nodded still with his arm around the Hatter as she swayed some more, "If that's not working, then it means...this writing is old. Very old. Impossibly old".

"And powerful," the Hatter added, "If it can try to get inside my head like that then it's extremely powerful. We need to find out who's in charge," she said walking over to the door, walking better than what the Doctor or Rose would have thought she would be able to, "Were out of the reach of the TARDIS's knowledge. Not a good singe," she started turning the wheel of the door, "If someone's lucky enough..."

"Open Door 19".

The door opened to show a small number of aliens on the other side. The Doctor grabbed the Hatter's shoulder, pulling her behind him as Rose gasped. The aliens had tentacles dangling over their mouths, dressed in grey jumpsuits with white orbs connected to their mouths by a wire.

"Right!" the Doctor blinked trying not to show how surprised he was, "Hello! Sorry! Uh...I was just saying, uh...nice Base".

"Hello, haven't seen you guys in a while," the Hatter waved her hand around the Doctor but he didn't seem to notices.

"We must feed," the aliens said in unison, there orbs lighting up as they talked.

"You're gonna what?" the Doctor asked, pushing Rose behind him.

"We must feed," they repented.

"Doctor-" the Hatter started to say but Rose cut her off.

"Yeah," Rose said, "I think they mean us".

"Doctor-" but the Hatter was cut off again by the Doctor moving backwards making her also move as the aliens approached.

"We must feed".

The Doctor pulled the Hatter over to another door that Rose had run to, only to find more aliens coming out of that one.

"We must feed. We must feed. We must feed".

"Doctor-" the Hatter tried again but more aliens come through another door, corning them.

The Doctor pulled out his sonic while Rose picked up a chair.

"We must feed. We must feed. We must feed..."

"Doctor!" the Hatter finely jumped in front of him, "There Ood. People use them to cook, clean, do whatever they won't. There safe".

"We must feed," the Ood said, shaking their heads tapping there orbs, "You. If you are hungry".

"Sorry, what?" the Doctor asked.

"They're Ood," the Hatter said, "I met them a few years back. It's alright. There not the reason for one of my regenerates if that's what you're thinking".

"We apologize," one of the Oods said, "Electromagnetic have interfered with our speech systems," the Doctor put his sonic back in his pocket and Rose slowly lowered her chair, "Would you like some refreshments?"

"Um..." the Doctor began to say.

"Open Door 18".

A door opened and an older man walked through with young man and woman, both holding guns. The older man stopped short, seeing them, "What the hell...how did..." he walked over to them, staring as if he had never seen a person before. He lifted his arm and spoke into his communicator, "Captain...you're not going to believe this. We've got PEOPLE. Out of nowhere. I mean real people. I mean three...living...people. Just standing here, right in front of me".

The Doctor, the Hatter, and Rose glanced at each other, not sure about what was going on.

"Don't be stupid, that's impossible," someone replied.

"I suggest telling THEM that".

"But you're a sort of space base, you must have visitors now and then," Rose resound, "It can't be that impossible".

"You're telling me you don't know where you are?" the older man asked.

"No idea," the Hatter grinned, "It's more fun that way. I could find out but I'm trying not to use my Time Lady ability's, right now. Last time I did that I ended up almost being possessed so...I'm doing it the human way. Haven't had to do this when I can still remember being a Time Lady for...five-hundred years now".

"About what happened earlier," Rose said, "What did happen?"

"Some Time lords had heightened abilities," the Hatter told her, "All Time Lords had the same abilities but a rare few have abilities that are stronger than others. There was only about ten Time Lords and Lady's that had ever been none to have this gift. I was the last one".

"But what does that mean?" Rose asked.

"Sorry, I haven't really had to talk about this in centuries," the Hatter sighed, "All that it means is that I senses things better then the Doctor douse. Whatever tried to possess me earlier had a taste of that earlier when I touched the symbols. It must have felt me trying to senses what it is which means I'm going to have to be very careful about what I do or I could end up being possessed".

"Stand by everyone," A woman suddenly came over the communicator, "Buckle down. We have incoming. And it's a big one. Quake Point 5 on its way".

The base suddenly started shaking and tremble, the older man ran over to one of the doors he'd came from and opened it, turning to look at them, "Through here!" he told them, "Now. Quickly, come on!"

Sirens started going off as Rose, the Doctor, and the Hatter ran forward to follow the man through the door with the two younger people.

"Now!" the man told them.

They ran through the door into another corridor as it started shaking, smoke shooting up from the floor. The Doctor grabbed the Hatter hand as she stubbled still not fully recovered from earlier.

"Move it!" the older man shouted from behind them, "Come on! Come on!" Rose screamed as she nearly tripped, sparks started flying everywhere, "Move it, come on! Quickly! Move it!"

"You know Doctor when I said I wanted to go somewhere I was thinking more Peladon or Florana," the Hatter said as they ran, "Instead we get this".

"I could never get to Florana anyway," the Doctor said, "I tried to take Sarah Jane twice but never made it".

They finally reached the door, throwing them self's inside and into a control room for the base. There were other men and woman rushing around, busy working. Two men and a woman looked up when they entered, their mouths dropped open as they saw Rose, the Doctor, and the Hatter.

The Doctor grinned at them and the Hatter smiled and gave a little wave.

"Oh, my GOD," one of the men gaped at them, "You meant it".

"People!" the woman said, "Look at that! Real people!"

"That's us," the Doctor grinned as the Hatter gave a bowel, "Hooray!"

Rose smiled, "Yeah, definitely real. My name's Rose...Rose Tyler, and...and this is the Doctor and that's the Hatter".

"Hello," the Hatter smiled, "Nice base you have here...too bad about all the shacking".

"Come on..." a young man with shaggy hair walked over to them, "The oxygen must be offline. We're hallucinating. They can't be...no. They're real!"

"Come ON, we're in the middle of an alert!" the man who was clearly the captain reminded them, "Danny, strap up, the Quakes coming in! Impact in thirty seconds!" a countdown of the seconds appeared on the computer screens as the captain looked over at Rose, the Doctor, and the Hatter, "Sorry, you three, whoever you are. Just...hold on. Tight".

"Believe me we will," the Hatter said grabbing hold of some railings.

"Hold on to what?" Rose asked having not heard the Hatter over the alarms.

"Anything. I don't care. Just hold on. Ood, are we fixed?"

The Doctor and Rose looked at each other before they took a side of the railing that the Hatter was already holding on to.

"Your kindness in this emergency is much appreciated," the Ood behind them said.

"What's this planet called, anyway?" the Doctor asked turning to the Hatter.

"I'm not using my Time Lady ability's, Doctor," the Hatter reminded him, "You really needed to pay more attention. It's like being back in school".

"Now, don't be stupid," one of the women shook her head, "It hasn't got a name. How could it have a name?" the Doctor and the Hatter looked at her, "You really _don't _know, do you?"

"And...INPACT!" the captain announced cutting off anything the Doctor or the Hatter would have said.

The entire base started shacking violently, with everyone holding tight to something and as quickly as it started it stopped.

"Oh, well, that wasn't so bad," the Doctor grinned, standing up as the Hatter shook her head, tightening her grip on the rail.

Suddenly he was thrown backwards as the base started shacking even more violently then before. The Hatter reached out with her other hand gripping the rail, caching one of the Doctor's arms pulling him backwards towards the rail so he could get his grip back. There was a small explosion from over at the console, sparks flying, everyone being tossed around until it finally stopped.

"Well, that was fun," the Hatter remarked letting go of the rail, "Certainly brings back memories," she turned to Rose and the Doctor, "Are you two alright?"

Rose nodded still looking surprised that the Hatter asked her but a little upset that she couldn't have helped the Doctor.

"Thanks for pulling me back," the Doctor shot the Hatter a smile, "Are you ok?"

"Yep," the Hatter said, "Almost possessed, shaken all around the place, right as rain".

"Okay, that's it," the captain said as the older man from earlier rushed over to a fire extinguisher, "Everyone alight? Speak to me, Ida?"

"Yeah, yeah!" the woman from before called.

"Danny?" The captain asked turning to the young man with shaggy hair.

"Fine," Danny said.

"Toby?"

"Yeah, fine," a young man wearing a light blue sweater answered.

"Scooti?"

"No damage," another woman said.

"Jefferson?"

"Check!" the older man with the fire extinguisher called.

"We're fine, thanks, fine, yeah, don't worry about us," the Doctor stood up, standing next to the Hatter. He looked over at her to see that, she bitting her lip trying to stop herself from say something.

"The surface caved in," the captain said and the Hatter nodded along with his words. He brought up the graphics of the base on a screen, "I deflected it onto storage 5 through 8. We've lost them completely. Toby, go and check the rocket link".

"Oh, a rocket Doctor," the Hatter said quietly to the Doctor, "I wonder what model it is..."

"That's not my department..." Toby began cutting off the Hatter.

"Just do as I say, yeah?" the captain told him. Toby sighed, muttering to his self as he left the room.

"Oxygen holding," Ida reported, "Internal gravity 55.6. Should be okay".

"Another thing that makes me nerves," the Hatter remarked, "'should be okay'. Usually that means something bad is going to happen".

"Thank you Hatter the voices of laughter," the Doctor said quietly to her.

Rose frowned over at the Doctor and the Hatter whispering together before looking up at the roof, "Never mind earthquake, that's...that's one hell of a storm. What is that, a hurricane?"

"You'd need an atmosphere for a hurricane," Scooti shook her head; "There's no air out there. It's a complete vacuum".

"Then what's shacking the roof?"

"You're not joking," Ida blinked at them, "You really don't know? Well...introductions. FYI, as they said in the olden days. I'm Ida Scott, science officer," she pointed to the captain, "Zachary Cross Flane, acting Captain, sir...you've met Mr. Jefferson, he's head of security. Danny Bartock. Ethics committee".

"Not as boring as it sounds," Danny told them and they grinned at him.

"And that man who just left that was Toby Zed, archaeology, and this..." Ida walked over to Scooti and put her hands on her shoulders, "...is Scooti Manista. Trainee maintenance," Scooti smiled at them as Ida walked over to a set of controls, "And this...this is home," she pulled a lever and whirring sound started.

"Brace yourselves," Zachary warned them, "The sight of it sends some people mad".

"Were have I heard that before, Doctor?" the Hatter said quietly thinking about the Master and the Untempered Schism.

Before the Doctor comment the room was flooded with a reddish light as a window was opened overhead. They looked up in amazement to see a black hole.

"That's a black hole," Rose breathed, as they watched the light being sucked into it.

"But that's impossible," the Doctor said staring up at it in disbelief.

"I did warn you," Zachary said.

"We're standing right under a black hole and all you can say is 'I did warn you'," the Hater shock her head, "Not to mention that were in orbit," she gasped as her hand flew to her mouth, "Forget I said that last part, I'm not used to playing the part of human companion. This is going to drive me insane".

"But we can't be..." the Doctor shook his head at the Hatter.

"Take my hand," the Hatter said as he did, "Close your eyes and forces, just like we did in school," after a moment the Doctor open his eyes staring up at the black hole, "Now do you see it? The planet is suspended in perpetual geostationary orbit around the black hole without falling in and if I get possessed I'm blaming you".

"Were in obit," the Doctor said still sounding surprised.

"How did you know that?" Ida asked, staring at the Hatter in wonder.

The Hatter tapped the side of her head grinning at her, "I'm clever".

"And us being in orbit around a black hole..." Rose cut in, "That's bad, Yeah?"

"That doesn't cover it..." the Doctor sighed and the Hatter nodded, "A black hole's a dead star. It collapses in on itself, in and in and in..."

"Until the matter's so dense and tight it starts to pull everything else in to," the Hatter added, "Nothing in the Universe can escape it".

"Light...gravity...time..." the Doctor nodded.

"Everything just gets pulled inside...and crushed," the Hatter said.

Everyone stared at them making the Doctor and the Hatter looked at each other and back, "What?" they asked in unison.

"Do the two of you always talk like that?" Ida asked them.

"Old habits," the Hatter said.

"So, they can't be in obit," Rose cut in, "We should be pulled right in".

"We should be dead," the Doctor corrected.

"And yet...here we are," Ida sighed, "Beyond the laws of physics. Welcome on board".

"But if there's no atmosphere out there, what's that?" Rose pointed up at a small series of clouds moving towards the black hole.

"Starts breaking up, gas clouds...we have whole solar systems being ripped apart above our heads before falling into that thing".

"So, a bit worse than a storm, then?" Rose said.

"Just a bit".

"Just a bit, yeah," Rose let out a breath as the base shook again.

...

"Close Door 1".

Rose looked up as Toby walked back into the control room. The Doctor, the Hatter, and Rose were standing around the control panel as Zachary brought up their schematics to view on a hologram.

"The rocket link's fine," Toby said.

"One less thing to worry about," the Hatter remarked as Zachary nodded at Toby, tapping a button, showing the black hole, the Doctor pulled out glasses that the Hatter had to stop herself from laughing at the fact that he didn't need them.

"That's the black hole officially designated K37 Gen 7," Zachary told them.

"In the scripture of the Falltino," Ida went on, "This planet is called 'Kroptor'".

"The bitter pill," the Hatter translated nodding, "I bet there's a story behind that name. There always is".

Ida nodded at the Hatter, "And the black hole is supposed to be a mighty demon. It was tricked into devouring the planet, only to spit it out. Because it was poison".

"The bitter pill," Rose remarked, "I like that".

"We are so far out," the Doctor sighed, looking at the diagram, "Lost in the drifts of the Universe, how did you even GET here?"

"We flew in," Zachary said, "You see..." he presses a few more buttons, bringing up another hologram of a planet, a red ring coming out of it like a tunnel, "This planet's generating a gravity field. We don't know how, we've no idea, but...it's kept in constant balance against the black hole. And the field extends out there," he pointed to the diagram, "As a funnel. A distinct gravity funnel, reaching out into clear space. That was out way in".

"You flew down that thing?" Rose smiled, "Like a rollercoaster".

"By right's, this ship should have been torn apart," the Hatter said looking at Zachary, "That's how you lost the captain, putting you in charge, I'm guessing".

"He's doing a good job," Ida said.

"Yeah," Zachary scoffed, "Well, needs must".

"Don't be like that," the Hatter smiled at him, "Not many people could do what you did and be able to keep everything together as well as you have".

"But if that gravity funnel closes, there's no way out," Danny called from where he was standing near Scooti, looking at a paper diagram.

"We had some fun speculating about that," Scooti said, dryly.

"Oh, yeah," Danny rolled his eyes, "That's the word," he hit Scooti on the head with a scroll, "'Fun'".

"But that field would take phenomenal amount of power, right?" the Doctor looked over at the Hatter who was nodding along with his words, "I mean...not just big, but big off the scale! Can I..." he gestured towards the controls.

"Sure," Ida shrugged, pushing a calculator towards him, "Help yourself".

An Ood walked over to Rose, passing her a cup, "Your refreshment".

"Oh yeah, thanks," Rose smiled, taking the cup, "Thank you. I'm sorry, what was your name?"

"We have no titles," the Ood told her, "We are as one".

Rose watched for a moment at the Ood walked off before walking over Danny and Scooti, "Um, so, those are...Ood right?"

"Yup," Danny nodded, "They work the mine shafts. All the drilling and stuff. Supervision and maintenance. They're born for it, basic slave race".

"You've got slaves?" Rose frowned.

"Don't start, she's like one of that lot," Scooti ct in, sounding amused, "Friends of the Ood".

"Well maybe I am, yeah. Since when do humans need slaves?"

"But the Ood offer themselves," Danny told Rose, "If you DON'T give them orders, they just pine away and die".

Another Ood approached Rose as she turned, "Seriously? You like being ordered about?"

"It is all we crave," the Ood said.

"Why's that, then?" Rose asked.

"We have nothing else in life," the Ood said.

"Yeah, well I used to think like that," Rose shrugged, "A long time ago".

"There we go," the Doctor said, looking down at the calculator in his hands before looking at the Hatter standing next to him, "D'you see? To generate that gravity field, and the funnel, you'd need a power source with an inverted self-extrapolating reflex of six to the power of six every si..."

"Six seconds," the Hatter finished grinning at him, "I already worked it out but this is funnier," she started laughing as the Doctor started muttering about annoying red heads, "That's rich coming from you. I seem to remember you always saying that you wanted to be ginger".

Rose cleared her throat, glaring at the Hatter and the Doctor when they turned towards her, "That's a lot of sixes".

"And it's impossible," the Doctor said getting back to the point.

"Nothing is impossible just a bit unlikely," the Hatter quoted shaking her head, "You of all people should know that Doctor".

"It took us two years to work that out!" Zachary exclaimed looking at the Doctor and the Hatter, shocked.

"I'm very good," the Doctor answered before pointing to the Hatter, "But she's brilliant".

"Why is it Doctor that you have to tell everyone that?" the Hatter sighed.

"'Because it's funnier that way'," the Doctor mocked grinning at her as she shook her head but smiling all the same.

"But...that's why we're here," Ida smiled, "This power source is ten miles below through solid rock. Point Zero. We're drilling down to try and find it".

"It's giving off readings of over ninety stats on the Blazen Scale," Zachary added.

"We could revolutionize modern science!"

"We could use it to fuel the Empire," Jefferson smiled at the thought.

"Or start a war," the Doctor and the Hatter said in unison, the Doctor took off his glasses.

"It's buries beneath us," Toby muttered making the Hatter look at him shapely, "In the darkness...waiting..."

"What's your job?" Rose looked over at him not seeing the slightly worried look on the Hatter's face, "Chief...dramatist?"

The Doctor smirked but dropped it seeing the less then happy look on the Hatter's face as she looked closely at Toby.

"Well, whatever it is down there is not a natural phenomena," Toby glared at Rose, "And this, er, planet once supported life. Eons ago, before human race has even learned to walk".

"We saw that lettering written on the wall," the Doctor glanced at the Hatter, "Did YOU do that".

Toby nodded, "I copied it from fragments we found on earth by the driller, but I can't translator it".

"No, neither can I," the Doctor said.

"I would help but I seem to have a bad reaction to just the copied symbols," the Hatter said, "But I'm sure I have seen them somewhere".

"Some form of civilization," Toby said, "They buried something. Now it's reaching out. Calling us in".

The Hatter and the Doctor grinned, "And you came".

"Well, how could we not?" Ida said as Zachary turned the hologram off.

"So, when it comes right down to it, why did you come here?" the Doctor looked around at the crew grinning, "Why did you do that? Why? I'll tell you why. Because it was THERE. Brilliant. Excuse me, ah, Zach, wasn't it?"

"That's me," Zach nodded.

"Just stand there," the Doctor told him getting a confused look, "'Cos I'm gonna hug you. Is that alright?"

The crew stared at him and the Hatter laughed.

"Just go along with it," the Hatter smiled, "He'll do it anyway".

"I s'pose so," Zach said after a moment looking in-between the Doctor and the Hatter.

The Doctor started slowly moving towards him, "Here we go. Coming in," before he hugged him, grinning away, "Ah, human beings, you are amazing!" the Hatter laughed so hard that she was rolling around on the floor, "Ha!" Rose also started laughing as the Doctor released Zach, "Thank you".

"Not at all," Zach said, trying to hide his smile as the Hatter finely stopped laughed.

"But apart from that, you're completely mad," the Doctor said, "You should pack your bags and get back in that ship and fly for your lives".

"You can talk!" Ida shot back, "And how the hell did YOU get here?"

"Well, we...um..." the Hatter began trying to come up with something.

"Oh, I've got this um...this...it's hard to explain, it sort of...appears..." the Doctor scratched the back of his head.

"We can show you," Rose suggested, "We parked down the corridor from um...oh, what's it called? Uh, habitation area..."

"Three".

"Three. Three".

"Do you mean storage six?" Zach asked.

"Uh, it was a bit of a cupboard, yeah," the Doctor nodded, smiling.

"You have got to be kidding," the Hatter gasped, "Storage five to eight, Doctor".

The Doctor looked at her confused before he realised what she was saying. He quickly turned and ran out of the room with the Hatter right behind him and a confused Rose behind her.

"What is it?" Rose shouted from behind them, "What's wrong?"

The Doctor worked on opening Door 19 not anserine.

"Open Door 19".

They ran across the room.

"Close Door 19".

He tried to spine the weal to open Door 17, "Stupid doors come ON".

"Open Door 17".

They ran down the corridor, opening the next door.

"Open Door 16".

"This place could really do with some scooters," the Hatter shouted as they reached the next door. The Doctor tried to open the door but it refused, even frantically trying to push the button to open it didn't work.

"Door 15 out of commission".

"Can't be, can't be!" the Doctor shook his head still trying to get through the door.

"What's wrong?" Rose asked again, "What is it?"

The Hatter walked forward, opening a small round window in the door looking through, "Doctor," she said still staring out the window, "We have a problem".

"Doctor, the TARDIS is in there," Rose realized, "What's happened?"

"It's the TARDIS," the Hatter said letting the Doctor look through the window, "It's gone".

"Door 15 out of commission".

"It was the earthquake," the Hatter said turning to look at Rose, knowing that the Doctor needed time with his own thoughts, "The section that the TARDIS was sitting on top off, collapsed".

"But it's gotta be out there somewhere..." Rose shook her head, moving forward, peering through the window.

"Look down," the Doctor told her moving out of the way, standing next to the Hatter.

Rose did as the Doctor said only to find a gaping chasm.

...

"The ground gave way," the Doctor told Zach as they stood in the control room, "My TARDIS must've fallen down right into the heart of the planet. But you've got robot drills heading the same way".

"We can't divert the drilling," Zach told him walking off.

The Doctor stared after him for a moment before following him, "But I NEED my ship. It's all I've got. Literally the only thing I have other then the Hatter".

The Hatter and Rose looked up sharply. The Hatter looked over at Rose trying to tell her that he didn't mean that but she didn't seem to notices, "Don't forget Rose, Doctor," but the Doctor didn't seem to hear her. The Hatter looked back over to Rose about to say something when Rose turned her back to her.

"Doctor, WE'VE only got the resources to drill ONE central shaft down to the power source, and that's it," Zach told him getting more and more irritated, "No diversions, no distractions, NO EXCEPTIONS. Your machine is lost. All I can do is offer you a lift if we ever get to leave this place, and that...is the end of it".

Zach turned and left, heading to the back room as Ida walked over to them, "I'll uh, put you on the duty roster," she said with a smile, ignoring the helpless look on the Doctor's face, "We need someone in the laundry".

She turned and followed Zach.

"Open Door 1".

The Doctor leant against the center consol as the Hatter and Rose stood on either side of him. One of the only Ood left the room, leaving them alone.

"Close Door 1".

"I've trapped you here," the Doctor sighed, guilt almost pouring of him.

"No," Rose smiled, "Don't worry about me," the base shook as she looked up at the black hole through the open window, "Okay, we're on a planet that shouldn't exist, under black hole...and no way out..." the Doctor and the Hatter looked at her, "Yeah, I've changed my mind. Start worrying about me".

Rose laughed nervously as the Doctor gave her a hug before pulling away and looking at the Hatter, "What about you?"

"I know that whatever happens today...that you will do everything in your power to keep everyone on this ship safe as you can," the Hatter said, "I also know that we will get through this. No matter what".

The Doctor smiled at her as they all looked back up to the black hole.

_**I had a little trouble getting the Hatter into this chapter but it made me think a lot more. Some more jealous Rose going on in this chapter and the next (Sorry Rose lovers). There hasn't been a lot of her being like that to the Hatter mainly because she's been ignoring her but the Hatter isn't someone easily ignored. There will be more about what it means for the Hatter to be 'gifted' and I am also thinking about doing another story about when the Doctor and her were in school and elaborate a bit more about how they become friends. Anyway, I hope you liked it, please review and tell me what you think :) **_


	14. Chapter 14 The impossible planet part 2

_**The impossible planet part 2**_

The Doctor was examining the ancient symbols that Toby had written on the wall as the Hatter sat with her back to the wall playing with her yo-yo. 'Bolero' was playing over the loudspeaker.

"Danny, check the temperature of Ood Habitation," Zach's voices come over the loudspeaker, "It seems to be rising".

Danny stood up from his chair and left.

"Hatter, are you sure you can't help?" the Doctor asked looking over his shoulder at her.

"Sorry Doctor," the Hatter shook her head still playing with the yo-yo, "But if I was you I would try looking at them as upside down".

Rose sighed, getting up from where she was sitting and walked over to where the Ood were severing food. She glanced over at Scooti who already had a tray of food.

"Help yourself," Scooti said, "Just don't have the green. Or blue," she laughed and walked off.

Rose picked up a tray and looked through a small hatch to see the Ood working, she pointed through the hatch, "Uh, bit of that, thanks".

"Would you like sauce with that?" the Ood asked as it spooned blue goop onto Rose's tray.

"I'll have a go, yeah," Rose smiled, watching as the Ood shook sauce onto a different part of the tray, "I did that job once. I was a...a dinner lady! Not that I'm calling you a lady. Although, I dunno, you might be. Do you actually get paid, though? Do they give you money?"

"The Beast and his Armis shall rise from the pit to make war against God," the Ood said.

Rose blinked, "...I'm sorry?"

The Ood tapped its orb, "Apologies. I said, 'I hope you enjoy your meal'".

"Yeah..." Rose trailed off as she glanced over at the Doctor and the Hatter who seemed to be laughing about something.

"I'm telling you it looks like a rabbit to me," the Hatter laughed.

"A rabbit, a rabbit?" the Doctor shook his head laughing, "More like a dog".

"At least you didn't say a cat," the Hatter smiled, "I still can't believe you could ware that outfit let alone a cat badge with it".

Rose shook her head, sitting down at a table and started eating trying to ignore the Doctor and the Hatter laughing behind her.

...

The lights flicked inside the canteen.

Ida looked up at the lights and lifted her wrist up, talking into the comm, "Zach, have we got a problem?"

"No more than usual," Zach responded, "Got the Scarlet System burning up, might be worth a look".

Ida turned to the Doctor, the Hatter, and Rose sitting at one of the tables, Rose was sitting on one side and the Doctor and the Hatter the other, "You might wanna see this," Ida smiled at them, "Moment in history," they watched as she walked over one of the doors, pulling a lever, opening the overhead shutters showing the black hole, flooding the room with a soft red light. Ida point up at it, "There. On the edge..." a stream of red light started moving towards the black hole, "That red cloud...that used to be the Scarlet System. Home to the Peluchi...a mighty civilization spanning a billion years...disappearing. Forever. Their planets and suns consumes," she looked up fascinated, as Rose did the same. The Doctor and the Hatter glanced at each other thinking off how their people were once called 'A mighty race' also.

"Ladies and gentlemen..." Ida said as the last part of the Scarlet system was consumed, "We have witnessed its passing," she moved to pull the lever.

"Could we leave it open, please?" the Hatter asked making Rose give her and odd look.

"Just for a bit," the Doctor nodded, "We won't go mad, I promise".

"How would you know?" Ida asked.

"Well, I'm already crazy and he's plane insane," the Hatter smiled nudging the Doctor's arm, "I don't know how many times I have seen him do something insane".

Ida shrugged, moving away from the controls, "Scooti, check the lockdown," Scooti nodded and walked out, "Jefferson, sign off the airlock seals for me," Jefferson got up and walked out with Ida.

"Open Door 18".

"I've seen films and things, yeah," Rose said after a moment of silences, "They say black holes are like gateways to another Universe..."

"Close Door 18".

"Not that one," the Hatter sighed staring up at it a little sadly, "This one just eats".

Rose looked over at the Doctor, "Long way from home..."

The Doctor glanced at Rose before pointing, "Go that way, turn right, keep going for um...about five hundred years...then you'll reach the Earth".

Rose pulled out her phone and pressed a few buttons, "No signal. That's the first time we've gone out of rang. Mind you, even if I could...what would I tell her? Can you build another TARDIS?" she laughed shaking her head.

"They were grown, not built," the Hatter sighed before smiling, "My father used to work all-day. I hardly knew what he even looked like, but when I was eight, just before I was taken to look into the Untempered Schism, my father took me to see how a TARDIS was grown. People weren't supposed to see it but my father had some work there so he took me. My parents thought it would be a good learning experience. It was one of the most wonderful things I have ever seen".

"I still can't believe that you got to see it," the Doctor shook his head before sighing, "And with our planet gone...we're kind of stuck".

"Well, it could be worse," Rose said trying to lighten the mood, "This lot said they'd give us a lift".

"And then what?" the Doctor asked Rose.

"I dunno...find a planet...get a job...live a life," Rose shrugged, "Same as the rest of the Universe".

"Pfft..." the Doctor scoffed, "I'd have to settle down. In a house or something, a proper house with...with...with...with DOORS and things. Carpets! Me! Living in a house!" Rose laughed and the Hatter smiled, "Now that...that is terrifying".

"You'd have to get a mortgage!" Rose laughed.

"...no," the Doctor breathed, looking at her horrified as the Hatter laughed.

"Oh yes," Rose laughed even more.

"I am dying," the Doctor shook his head, "That's it. I am dying, it is all over".

"What about me?" Rose asked, laughing, "I'd have to get one too," she paused and glanced at the Hatter, "I dunno, could...could be the same one, we could both..." the Doctor looked up sharply and the Hatter watched not a bit surprised by Rose's suggestion, "Dunno...share," Rose went on, "Or not, you know. Whatever," the Doctor nodded looking awkward. Rose notices that his eyes went to the Hatter as she looked up at the black hole, her face glowing from its light. Rose couldn't help but feel that the Hatter was perfect for the Doctor, beautiful, a genius, kind, knows everything about him, not to mention a Time Lady. Shaking her head Rose looked back at the Doctor, "I dunno, we'll sort something ou..."

"Anyway," the Doctor cut in, shifting his gaze from the Hatter and back to Rose.

Rose laughed, trying to shack off what just happened, "We'll see!"

There was a silence for a moment before the Doctor spoke, "I promised Jackie I'd always take you home".

"Everyone leaves home in the end," Rose said as the Hatter turned back to face them.

"Not to end up stuck here," the Doctor sighed.

"Well, you guys are a bundle of laughs," The Hatter joked, "I mean yes I would be a lot happy if we still had the TARDIS with us but at least we still have each other".

The Doctor nodded as Rose's phone rang and she quickly answered it.

"He is awake".

Rose quickly flung her phone onto the floor making the Doctor and the Hatter look at her.

...

"Evening!" the Doctor greeted. They had quickly run to Ood Habitation after Rose had told them about the voice on her phone and about the Ood. Danny was standing there, checking things over.

"Only us!" Rose added.

"Hello," the Hatter smiled.

"The mysterious trio," Danny glanced up from his computer, "How are you, then? Settling in?"

"Yeah sorry, straight to business," the Doctor shook his head, "The Ood, how do they communicate? I mean, with each other".

"You should have asked me," The Hatter remarked, looking over the balcony at the Ood sitting down in a cage like area, "They have a low level telepathic field connecting them. You don't think they were born with that orb coming out of their mouths, did you?"

"Not that, that does THEM much good," Danny nodded towards the Hatter, "They're basically a herd race. Like cattle".

"This telepathic field, can it pick up messages?" the Doctor asked Danny and the Hatter.

"'Cos I was having dinner, and one of the Ood said something...well, odd," Rose said.

"Oh," Danny smiled at Rose, "An odd Ood".

"And then I got something else on my er...communicator thing," Rose told him.

"Oh, be fair," Danny laughed, "We've got whole star systems burning up around us. There's all sorts of stray transmissions. Probably nothing," the Doctor and Rose didn't look very convinced, the Hatter frowned as she looked down at the Ood, "Look...if there was something wrong, it would show. We monitor the telepathic field. It's the only way to look after them. They're so stupid, they don't even tell us when they're ill".

The Hatter frowned over her shoulder at the 'Ood are stupid' part before turning back to the Oods below.

"Monitor the field, that's this thing?" the Doctor nodded at a computer that read 'Basic 5'.

"Yeah," Danny nodded, "But like I said, it's low level telepathy. They only register Basic 5".

The Doctor glanced at the computer to see it reading 'Basic 6,' "Well, that's not Basic 5..." he said watching as it continued to climb, "10..." the Hatter watched as the Ood all raised their heads in unison, "20..." the Doctor read, looking at Danny, "They've gone up to Basic 30".'

"But they can't..." Danny shook his head.

"Not good, not good," the Hatter muttered as all the Oods turned in unison, staring up at them.

"What does Basic 30 mean?" Rose asked, frowning.

"Well, it means that they're shouting," Danny told them looking baffled, "Screaming inside their heads".

"Or something's shouting at them..." the Doctor added.

"But...Where's it coming from?" Danny frowned tapping on the keyboard, "What is it saying? I mean..." he looked at Rose, "What did it say to you?"

"Something about the beast in the pit," Rose shook her head.

"What about your communicator?" Danny asked, "What did that say?"

"He is awake," Rose said after a moment.

"And you will worship him," the Ood said as one.

"What the hell?" Danny spun looking down at the Ood.

"He is awake," the Hatter said, staring down at the Ood.

"And you will worship him," the Ood said again as one.

"Worship who?" the Ood didn't answer, "Who's talking to you? Who is it?" no answer.

"Hang on," the Hatter said looking thoughtful, "I have an idea," she closed her eyes, concentrating, after a moment she slowly open her eyes, looking down at the Ood, "That was...different".

"What did you do?" Danny asked, "What happened?"

The Hatter shook her head, "Something that I should have done earlier".

"What did they say?" the Doctor asked.

"The Best," the Hatter told him frowning; "Now I'm worried".

...

The entire base started shacking as the Doctor, Rose, and the Hatter watched the Ood. Danny was over at the computer trying to work out what was going on. Suddenly they were thrown violently around, struggling to stay standing, when the computer announced, "Emergency hull breach. Emergency hull breach".

"Which section?" Danny called into his wrist comm.

"Everyone...evacuate 11 to 13, we've got a breach!" Zach's voices shouted back, "The base is open. Repeat: the base is OPEN".

"We have to get out of here," the Hatter said running over to the door, "Don't just stand around, come on!"

"Open Door 19".

They ran through the canteen area.

"Close Door 19".

"I can't contain the oxygen field!" Zach shouted, "We're gonna lose it!"

"Come on!" Jefferson shouted from a nearby corridor, "keep moving!'

The Doctor ran to the door, opening it. They ran down the hall, join Ida and a few other crew members at a joint in the hallway.

"And you too, Toby!" Jefferson shouted as Toby fell through the open door, flat on his face, while Jefferson closed the door behind him.

"Breach sealed. Breach sealed".

"Is everyone alright?" the Hatter looking around.

"What happened?" the Doctor asked, running over to the crew with the Hatter, "What was it?"

"Oxygen levels normal".

"Hull breach!" Jefferson panted, "We were open to the elements. A couple of minutes and we'd have been inspecting that black hole at close quarters".

"Brilliant," the Hatter remarked as Rose went over to Toby and helped him up, "But that wasn't a quake. I'm not sure what it was but it wasn't a quake".

"We've lost section 11 to 13," Zach's come over the loudspeaker, "Everyone alright?"

"We've got everyone here except Scooti," Jefferson said into his comm., "Scooti, report," but there was nothing but static and a small beep, "Scooti Manista? That's an order. Report!" again only static and a small beep, the Hatter glanced at the Doctor looking concerned.

"She's alright," Zach voices said, "I picked up her bio chip, she's in Habitation Three. Better go and check if she's not responding, she might be unconscious. How about that, eh? We survived".

"For now," the Hatter sighed under her breath.

"Habitation 3...come on, I don't often say this, but I think we could all do with a drink. Come on".

Jefferson walked down the hall, taking everyone but Rose, the Doctor, the Hatter, and Toby.

"What happened?" the Doctor asked, crouching down in front of Toby.

"I don't..." Toby said, his voices shacking but still talking quickly, "I dunno, I...I was working and then I can't remember. All...all that noise, the room was falling apart, there was no air..."

"Come on," Rose helped him to his feet, "Up you get," he stumbled a little but as the Hatter went to steady him but he flinched away from her.

"Sorry," Toby shook his head, "I...I just hurt my arm when I landed".

"Maybe you should have that looked at," the Hatter said but the Doctor could tell that she was looking closely at Toby, "I would be happy to-"

But Toby cut her off, "Its fine, I'll have someone else look at it".

"Come and have some Protein One," Rose said putting an arm back around Toby, leading him down the hall, giving the Hatter an odd look as she past.

"Oh, you've gone native!" the Doctor called.

"Oi, don't knock it!" Rose said over her shoulder, "It's nice. Protein One with just a..." she clicked her tongue, "Dash of Three".

The Doctor turned to the Hatter who was looking thoughtful, "It's not like you to play 'doctor'. I thought that was my job".

"What did you think I did when I was a human?" the Hatter shook her head, "You're not the only one who could be called a doctor. Don't you remember? I could have been a doctor after a left school but, scientific engineer was more me".

"How could I forget?" the Doctor shook his head, "But what happened with Toby?"

"Something's not right with him," the Hatter sighed, "But you saw, I didn't even touch him and he flinched".

"We'll keep an eye one him," the Doctor frowned slightly, "Come on,"

...

When they arrived in the canteen, it was a little louder than before. Everyone was worried, talking over each other, trying to find Scooti.

"I've checked Habitation Four..." Ida was saying.

"There's no sign of her," Jefferson nodded, "The bio chip says she's in the area," he turned to the Doctor, the Hatter, Rose, and Toby, "Have you seen Scooti?"

"Sorry," the Hatter said glancing at Toby out of the corner of her eye.

"No, no, no, I don't think so," Toby said.

"Scooti, please respond, if can hear this please respond..."  
Ida swallowed as she spoke into her comm., "Habitation Three".

"Nowhere here," Jefferson said before talking into his comm., "Zach? We've got a problem. Scooti's still missing".

"It says Habitation Three," Zach said.

"Yeah, well that's where I am, and I'm telling you she's NOT HERE".

The Doctor looked over as he heard the Hatter gasp only to see her staring up looking horrified. He followed her gaze, "We've found her".

Everyone looked over to the Doctor and the Hatter before following there gazes. Rose's hand flew to her mouth, "Oh, my God..."

Scooti's body floating just outside the window.

"Sorry," the Doctor said quietly still staring up at the horrible sight, "I'm so sorry".

The crew couldn't look away from the sight, horrified.

"Captain..." Jefferson after a moment spoke into his comm., "Report Officer Scooti Manista PKD...deceased".

"She was twenty...twenty years old," Ida said sadly. She shook her head, walking over to the controls, pulling a lever, pulling the shutters over head close slowly.

"For how should Man die better than facing fearful odds?" Jefferson quoted as the shutters closed, "For ashes of his father...and the temples of his Gods".

The Hatter wiped a tear from her check tacking a deep breath and closing her eyes, thinking of how many more she might have to see die before the day would be through. The Doctor glanced over his shoulder at her, putting an arm around her shoulders.

"It's stopped..." Ida said after a moment, just before there was a crash from somewhere.

"What was that?" Rose asked looking around the room, "What was it?"

"The drill," the Doctor said.

"We've stopped drilling," Ida told them, "We've made it. Point Zero".

"Here we go," the Hatter said quietly.

...

"All non-essential Ood to be confined," Zach's voices came over the loudspeaker as the crew got ready to go down the drilled mineshaft.

"Capsule established," Ida said as she was helped into her orange spacesuit she would need, "All systems functioning...the mineshaft is go...bring systems online now".

The Doctor walked over to Zach, dressed in a space suit that he had stolen, "Reporting as a volunteer for the expeditionary force".

"Doctor, this is breaking every single protocol," Zach shook his head at the Doctor who was grinning, "We don't even know who you are".

"Yeah, but you trust me, don't you?" the Doctor grinned even wider, "And you can't let Ida go down there on her own. Go on...look me in the eye...yes you do, I can see it. Trust".

"I should be going down..." Zach tried to argue.

"The caption doesn't lead the mission," the Hatter stated walking up behind the Doctor, "He stays here, in charge. They need you".

"Not much good at it, am I?" Zach said sounding bitter.

"But you're trying and that's what matters," the Hatter said, "How many men and women throughout history have been where you are today? And what did they do? For a start they didn't give up. They held their heads high and never gave up. Not for a moment. These people need you to keep going and I for one believe that you can do it".

Zach blinked at her a moment before turning to the crew, as soon as he turned his back the Doctor and the Hatter high fived each other, "Positions!" Zach called, "We're going down in two. Everyone, positions!" Rose walked over to them, "Mr. Jefferson! I want maximum systems..."

Zach walked away from them. The Hatter turned around checking a devices on the Doctor's spacesuit, "Hold still, oxygen good...nitro-balance good...gravity..." she smiled at him, "It's been a long time since you wore one of these".

"Very," the Doctor agreed smiling at her.

"I want that spacesuit back in one piece, you got that?" Rose stepped forward.

"Yes sir," the Doctor nodded looking at the Hatter.

"I'll be there every step of the way," the Hatter said placing his helmet over his head, locking it in place, "As much as I can anyway".

"It's funny," Rose spoke up, "'Cos people back home think that space travel's gonna be all whizzing about and teleports and anti-gravity...but it's not, is it?" her voices broke, "It's tough".

"I'll see you both later," the Doctor said.

"Not if I see you first," Rose said, giving a laugh before pulling his head down, placing a kiss on his helmet over his forehead stepping to the side.

"Don't do anything insane," the Hatter said, "Please".

"I made a promise to you when we were kids," the Doctor smiled at her, "Anything you ask me to do, I'll do it, anything".

"Does that include admitting to being bad at checkers?" the Hatter smiled.

The Doctor gave a mock sigh, "Fine, I'm horrible at checkers. I will never put you through the torture again".

"Good," the Hatter said trying not to smile, "Because I was thinking...what about chess?"

"Capsule active," Zach's voices came over the loudspeaker.

"Anything you want," the Doctor gave her a quick hug before nodding at Rose, walking and stepping inside the capsule with Ida, Jefferson sealing the door behind them.

"Counting down in 10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1..."

Rose and the Hatter waved at the Doctor and Ida and they waved back.

"Release," Zach ordered.

The capsule started descending, a diagram appearing on one of the computers nearby for them to see its descent.

"Gone beyond the oxygen field," Zach announced after a moment of silences, "You're on your own".

"Don't forget to breath," Rose said into a comm., "Breathing's good," she took a few deep breaths.

"Rose, stay off the comm..."

"It's alright," the Hatter said, "Just let her talk to them. She's worried," Rose nodded her thanks at her. The Hatter turned and looked at the computer with the diagram on it showing that the capsule had just hit Point Zero. Just as it hit the entire base started shaking.

"Doctor?" Rose called into the comm. But there was no reply, "Doctor, are you alright?"

"He's alright, Rose," the Hatter told her.

"Doctor!" Rose shouted, ignoring the Hatter.

"Rose, he's fine," the Hatter said, again.

"How would you know?" Rose demanded glaring at the Hatter.

"I would feel it if he died," the Hatter said specking calmly in hopes that it would also help Rose, " Trust me Rose, if he was hurt I would tell you straight away".

"Ida, report to me..." Zach called over the comm., "Doctor?"

"It's alright..." the Doctor answered, "We've made it...coming out of the capsule now".

"What's it like down there?" Rose asked, talking into the comm

"It's hard to tell..." the Doctor's voices answered, "Some sort of...cave...cavern...its massive".

"Well, it's hardly going to be small is it Doctor?" the Hatter said into the comm., "Ask Ida if she has a gravity globe with her".

There was a paused for a moment before the Doctor's voices come through, "Rose...you can tell Toby...we've found his civilization...Hatter do you want to see?"

"And misses out on something like this?" the Hatter smiled into the comm. As Rose told Toby that he had plenty of work to do, "Who do you think you're talking to Doctor?" she closed her eyes and soon found herself inside a large cavern looking through the Doctor's eyes, "_I knew you didn't need glasses, Theta_".

"_That's the first thing you say when you see this?" _the Doctor said but the Hatter could tell that he was smiling, "_And this from a woman that wore a blond wig"._

"_I was undercover," _the Hatter said, "_It's not as if I wore it to look good. Anyway it's nice to know that after all these years you still haven't forgotten how to do this"._

"_I had a brilliant teacher_," the Doctor replied as the Hatter opened her eyes but she could still feel the Doctor in her mind.

"Concentrate now, people," Zach's voices come over the comms and speakers, "Keep on the mission. Ida...what about the power source?"

"We're close," Ida's reported, "Energy signature indicator north, north west. Are you getting pictures up there?"

"There's too much interference," Zach said over the speaker, "We're in your hands".

"Well...we've come this far. There's no turning back".

"Oh, did you have to?" the Doctor and the Hatter groaned in unison, "No turning back?" the Doctor went on, "That's almost as bad as 'nothing can possible go wrong...'"

"Or 'this is gonna be the best Christmas Walford's ever had..." the Hatter cut in.

"Are the two of you finished?" Ida voices came over the comm.

"Yeah!" the Doctor said but the Hatter could tell that he was grinning, "Finished".

...

"Captain, sir," Danny's voices came over the comm., thankfully the Hatter had put up a bloke around her mind so she could focus on what was going on around her better, "There's something happening with the Ood".

"What are they doing?" Zach asked.

"They're staring at me," Danny said sounding a little freaked out by it, "I've told them to stop, but they won't".

"Danny, you're a big boy," Zach rolled his eyes; "I think you can take being STARED at".

The Hatter frowned taking the comm. from Rose's hands, "Danny, what does the telepathic field read? What number?"

"It's at Basic 100!" Danny said confirming what the Hatter was worried about, "I've checked there isn't any fault. It's definitely 100".

"But that's impossible..."

"What's Basic 100 mean?" Rose asked.

"If Basic 30 is shouting I think we can say that over 60, 70 is death," the Hatter took off her hat, running her hands through her hair, "We should never have stayed but then again...if we had left then we would never have been able to help".

"Basic 100's brain death," Jefferson said, looking over at the three Ood standing a few feet away from them.

"But they're safe?" Zach asked sounding urgent, "They're not actually moving?"

"No, sir," Danny said.

"Keep watching them. And you, Jefferson, keep a guard on the Ood".

"Officer at arms!" Jefferson ordered, readying his own gun.

"Oh, I really hate guns," the Hatter muttered before closing her eyes, _"Doctor, how are you and Ida?"_

"Yes, sir," two crew members shouted.

"_We're fine," _the Doctor replied, "_What about you up there?"_

"You can't fire a gun in here," the Hatter heard Rose say tearfully, "What if they hit a wall?"

"_Sorry Doctor I have to go,"_ the Hatter said before opening her eyes, "Rose it's alright," but Rose didn't hear her.

"I'm firing stock 15," Jefferson told Rose.

"It's alright Rose," the Hatter said going to put and arm around her but stoped as she saw the look on Rose's face, "Stock 15 only packs upon organics".

"Keep watch," Jefferson told the crew, "Guard them".

"Yes, sir," the crew said.

"Is everything all right up there?" the Doctor's voices called up making the Hatter jump. She hadn't realised that she had been blocking the Doctor from her mind for that long.

"Yeah, yeah," Rose said quickly and not very convincing.

"It's FINE," Zach added also not very convincing.

"Great!" Danny sighed.

"Hatter?" the Doctor asked after a moment, "Promise me that you're telling the truth".

Everyone looked at the Hatter.

The Hatter paused thinking about how she could get around this question with without lying, "I promise you that we are handily it. I didn't relies that I was blocking you, sorry".

"If you're sure," the Doctor said, "Anyway, we've found something. It looks like metal. Like some sort of seal. I've got a nasty feeling the word might be 'trapdoor'. Not a word, 'trapdoor'. Not a good word, 'trapdoor'. Never met a trapdoor I liked".

"Doctor you're rambling," the Hatter smiled.

"I'm good at that," the Doctor replied but the Hatter could tell that he was grinning.

"If the two of you have stopped flirting," Ida said making both the Hatter and the Doctor blush bright red and start trying to talk but failing as they kept stumbling over their words, "Anyway, the edge is covered with those symbols".

"Do you think it opens?" Zach asked.

"That's what trapdoors tend to do," the Doctor and the Hatter said still pink cheeked about before.

"'Trapdoor' doesn't do it justice," Ida said, "It's massive, Zach. About thirty feet in diameter".

"Any way of opening it?" the Hatter asked just as Zach did the same.

"I don't know," Ida replied, "I can't see any sort of mechanism".

"I suppose that's the writing," the Doctor said thoughtfully, "That'll tell us what to do. Hatter, are sure you're alright about there, you're very quite?"

"I'm fine Doctor," the Hatter rolled her eyes, "Let me see the trapdoor".

The Hatter closed her eyes and just like before she was seeing through the Doctor's eyes, "_Very interesting. I can see why Ida thought that 'trapdoor' was the wrong word"._

"_I agree,"_ the Doctor nodded as the Hatter open her eyes.

"Did you get anywhere with decoding it?" Zach asked.

Rose looked over at Toby who had his arms over his head, crouched on the floor, "Toby, they need to know, that lettering, does it make any sort of sense?"

"I know what it says," Toby said but something about his voices made the Hatter, look at him.

"Then tell them," Rose said.

"Oh, no, no, no..." the Hatter breathed shaking her head staring at Toby.

"When did you work that out?" Jefferson asked not taking any notices of the Hatter.

"It doesn't matter," Rose said to Jefferson, "Just tell them".

"Rose, Jefferson," the Hatter tried to say but it was too late. Toby slowly uncovered his face, standing up and turning to them. His face and neck coved in the black symbols, eyes glowing bright red.

"These are the words of the Best," he spoke, his voices deeper and guttural, just like the voices Rose heard on her phone, "And he has woken," Jefferson pointed his gun at Toby but the Hatter pushed it down, "He is the heart that beats in the darkness, he is the blood that will never cease. And now he will rise".

"Officer, stand down," Jefferson ordered going to put his gun back up only for the Hatter to push it back down, "STAND DOWN!"

"Jefferson, Rose, stand behind me," the Hatter said not taking her eyes off Toby, "Don't argue just do it".

"What is it?" the Doctor shouted sounding urgent and worried, "What's he done? What's happening? Rose? What's going on? Hatter, are you alright?"

But before anyone could say anything the comm. went to static.

Toby flexed his arm at Jefferson.

"Officer, as commander of security, I order you to stand down and be confined," Jefferson tried to move around the Hatter but the Hatter refused to move, "Immediately!"

"Jefferson," the Hatter tried but Rose cut her off.

"He's come out in those symbols all over his face," Rose said into the comm., "They're all over him".

"The comm.'s are down Rose," the Hatter said still looking at Toby, "And do you really think that telling the Doctor this is going on is going to make thing's any better? He would just try to come back".

"Mr. Jefferson, tell me, sir..." Toby said staring over the Hatter's shoulder at Jefferson, "Did your wife ever forgive you?"

Jefferson's eye's winded, "...I don't know what you mean".

"Let me tell you a secret," he smirked cruelly, "She never did".

"Jefferson, this is not Toby," the Hatter said trying to speak calmly, "He's possessed. Now, I don't know you Jefferson but I know a guilty man when I see one and you are that man. Whoever the Best is it's using you're guilt to get to you and its working. You're stronger than that. You can fight it".

Jefferson glanced at the Hatter and swallowed, hard, "Officer...you stand down and be confined".

"This is not Toby," the Hatter repeated still staring at Toby's possessed body, "If you're going to pick on someone then pick on me. Leave everyone else alone and let Toby go".

"Or what?"

"Or under the jurisdiction of Condition Red, I am authorized to shoot you," Jefferson aimed his gun again before the Hatter could stop him.

"But how many can you?" Toby said. His eye's eyes glowed bright red as his mouth opened, a low roar sounded as the symbols evaporated off his skin, like black smoke. It flew in the air and into the Ood jerked as they were possessed. Toby collapsed onto the floor as Jefferson fired his gun at the three Ood.

"We are the Legion of the Best," the Ood said in unison, "The Legion shall be many, and the Legion shall be few..."

"It's the Ood," Rose breathed.

"No, there just possessed," the Hatter said but no one heard her.

"Sir, we have contamination in the livestock," Jefferson said into his wrist comm.

"Doctor, I don't know what it is...it's...it's like they're possessed..." Rose said it the comm. only to get static.

"That's because they are possessed," the Hatter said staring at the Ood.

"He had woven himself in the fabric of your life since the dawn of time," the Ood went on moving closer, "Some may call him Abaddon. Some may call him Kroptor. Some may call him Satan...or Lucifer...or the Bringer of Despair...the Deathless Prince...the Bringer of Night. These are the words that shall set him free".

"Over my dead body they will," the Hatter muttered turning to Jefferson, "We need to get out of here. Now!"

Jefferson nodded, "Back up to the door!"

"I shall become manifest," the Ood said and the Hatter slapped her self.

"That was on the seal!" the Hatter said, "We have to move quickly".

"I shall walk in might..."

"To the door!" Jefferson unshed them back, until they reached the door, "Get it open!"

"My Legions shall swarm across the worlds..." the Ood advanced closer to them, "I am sin and the temptation, and the desire. I am the pain and the loss and the dead will come".

"Get the door open!" Jefferson shouted, as Rose, the Hatter, and the other crew members tried desperately to open the door. Jefferson turned back around aiming his gun at the Ood, but they ignored him.

"Jefferson that gun's not going to do anything," the Hatter looked over her shoulder at him, "There possessed. They can't help what they're doing nor can they stop it, a gun won't stop them".

"I have imprisoned for eternity," the Ood said, "But no more".

"Door sealed".

"Come on!" Rose groaned, trying to shove the door open.

"Door sealed".

"_Hatter!"_

_**Like I said in the last chapter, a little bit more of jealous Rose but the Doctor did show a slightly different side when he was around the Hatter. Anyway I hope you liked it, tell me what you think, I love hearing from people, please review :) **_


	15. Chapter 15 The Satan pit part 1

_**The Satan pit part 1**_

"Open fire!" Jefferson shouted as the Ood advanced closer to them. Jefferson along with two other crew members started shooting at the Ood.

The Hatter could hear the Doctor calling her name over and over but she ignored it. As soon as the Ood were down Rose rushed forward and grabbed the comm. she had dropped.

"Doctor?" Rose called only to get static again, "Doctor, can you hear me? Ida? Are you there?"

The Hatter closed her eyes, "_Theta, would you please stop calling my name. It's giving me a head ache"._

"_Are you alright?"_ the Doctor asked but not waiting for an answer went on, "_Ariana, the seal opened. It's a huge pit were not sure how fair it goes down"._

"_Don't worry about us," the Hatter said before smiling, "It's been a long time senses I was called Ariana._ _Anyway, just focus on what you're doing and please don't do anything stupid like go down into the pit". _

"_You're no fun,"_ the Doctor said as the Hatter opened her eyes.

"Open Door 25".

Jefferson and the crew turned guns at the ready, only to find Danny, "It's me!" Danny shouted at them, "But they're coming".

"Close Door 25".

"It's the Ood," Danny panted, "They've gone mad!"

"How many of them?" Jefferson demanded.

"All of them! All fifty!"

"Brilliant," the Hatter sighed, "All the Ood are possessed; the Doctor and Ida are trapped in a cave. I am, just loving this adventure more and more".

"Danny, out of the way," Jefferson moved towards the door, but Danny didn't move, "Out of the way!" he shoved Danny away from the door.

"But they're armed!" Danny said, "They're..." Jefferson stated opening the door, "It's the interface device. I don't know how, but they're using it as a weapon".

"Oh, I should have seen it before," the Hatter groaned as Jefferson worked on the door, "It's the electrical impulse of the brain. They travel to the sphere where it is translated, if you get around that, you have a weapon".

"Open Door 25".

Jefferson pulled the door open only to see the Ood standing there, their eye's glowing red like Toby's had been. One of the Ood moved forward, sticking the orb to the forehead of the female crew member. She screamed before falling to the floor, dead as Jefferson started shooting and Danny shoved the door closed.

"Jefferson!" Zach's voices came through the comms. now back on line, "What's happening there?"

"I've got very little ammunition, sir," Jefferson said into his wrist comm., "How about you?"

"All I've got is a bolt gun," Zach said, "With uh...all of one bolt. I could take out a grand total of one Ood. Fat lot of good that is".

"Given the emergency..." Jefferson paused for a moment, "I recommend Strategy Nine".

"I'm not sure what that is but I don't like the sound of it," the Hatter remarked.

"Strategy Nine agreed," Zach sighed ignoring the Hatter, "Right, we need to get everyone together. Rose, Hatter? What about Ida and the Doctor? Any word?"

Rose shook her head, "I can't get any reply," she swallowed hard, "Just...NOTHING, I keep trying, but it's..."

"Rose, he's fine," the Hatter said, "And Ida. Both of them are fine".

"Course I'm fine," the Doctor's voices came over the comm., "Still here".

"You really love being dramatic, don't you?" the Hatter shook her head.

"You could've said, you stupid b..." Rose began.

"Rose!" the Hatter said trying not to smile.

"WHOA!" the Doctor cut in from the high-pitched whine the comm. gave, "Careful! Anyway, it's both of us, me and Ida. Hello! But the seal opened up. It's gone. All we've got left is this chasm".

"I really hate chasms," the Hatter said.

"How deep is it?" Zach asked.

"Can't tell. It looks like it goes on forever".

"'The pit is open,'" Rose quoted, "That's what the voices said".

"But there's nothing?" Zach asked, "I mean...there's...NOTHING coming out?"

"No, no," the Doctor said, "No sign of 'The Best'".

"It said 'Satan'," Rose breathed looking scared.

"I told you," the Hatter said, "'The Best' uses our fears to get to us. Don't listen to it".

"Good advice," the Doctor said, "Keep it together Rose".

"Is there no such thing?" Rose asked into the comm. but there was no reply, "Doctor?" still nothing, "Doctor, tell me there's no such thing".

"Ida?" Zach cut in, "I recommend that you withdraw. Immediately".

"But...we've come all this way!" Ida exclaimed.

"Okay, that was an order," Zach told her, "That thing opened, the whole planets shifted. One more inch and we fall into the black hole. So this thing stops, right now".

"She's not going to do it," the Hatter said quietly, "And the Doctor won't make her".

"But it's not much better up there with the Ood," Ida argued.

"I'm initiating Strategy Nine," Zach told her, "So I need the two of you back up top immediately, no ar..." there was a beep as Ida cut the comm. off, "Ida? Ida?"

The Hatter shook her head and closed her eyes to hear the Doctor talking about jumping, _"Your hearing voices now? You should really get that looked at"._

"_Oh, come on Hatter I know you," _the Doctor said but the Hatter knew he was smiling, "_You would jump_".

"_Doctor, please,"_ the Hatter sighed, "_I'm not joking well not anymore"._

"_What do you want me to do?" _the Doctor asked.

"_I would say come back but that makes me sound selfish," _the Hatter sighed, _"Just don't get yourself killed"._

"_Anything for you," _the Doctor said after a moment.

"_Why to not make me feel selfish,"_ the Hatter smiled as she open her eyes.

"Rose, we're coming back," the Doctor's voices came out of comm. a moment after the Hatter opened her eyes.

"Best news I've heard all day!" Rose grinned not noticing the fact that the Hatter was the reason behind it. Rose turned to smile at rest of the crew only to find Jefferson releasing the safety off his gun and point it at Toby who was sitting on the floor, "What're you doing?"

"He's infected," Jefferson told her not looking away from Toby, "He brought that thing on board. You saw it".

"Mr. Jefferson," the Hatter said frowning, "Put that gun down. If you end up killing Toby then I'm afraid you will have me to deal with not to mention the Doctor".

But Jefferson didn't move.

"Look at him," the Hatter said looking down at Toby, "What was possessing him past into the Ood. That's the thing you should be pointing a gun at not Toby. If you don't believe me then go ahead shot but I promise you I will make sure you will live to regret it".

Jefferson looked at the Hatter for a moment before lowering his gun, "Any sign of trouble..." he warned the Hatter who nodded, "I'll shoot him".

"You can do that but don't expect me just to stand by and watch," the Hatter warned before crouching next to Toby with Rose.

"Are you alright?" Rose asked Toby as Jefferson moved away.

Toby nodded, trembling, looking close to tears, "Yeah...I..." he shook his head, "Dunno".

"Can you remember anything?" Rose asked, gently.

"Just...it was so angry...it was...fury and rage...death..." Toby looked around the room terrified before looking back at Rose, "It was him. It was the devil".

"Come here," Rose said pulling Toby closer, hugging him as he shook in her arms.

The Hatter stood up and closed her eyes listing in on the Doctor and Ida's conversation.

"_What's Strategy Nine?"_ the Doctor asked Ida not realising that the Hatter was listing in

"_Open the airlocks..." _the Hatter heard Ida say_, "We'll be safe inside the lockdown...the Ood will get thrown out into the vacuum"._

"_Meaning that the two of you are coming back to a slaughter,"_ the Hatter cut in, "_Call it your welcome back party"._

"_There better be cake,"_ the Doctor said as the Hatter opened her eyes. Jefferson, Danny, and Rose were standing around where the capsule would be soon coming up, the Hatter walked over and stood just behind them.

"Okay, we're in," Ida voices came over the comms, "Bring us up".

"Ascension in..." Jefferson began, readying the lift, "Three...two...one..." he pulled a lever and all of the lights went out.

"Please tell me that it's just a power fouler," the Hatter pinched the bridge of her nose, "If only".

"This is darkness," the same voices from earlier spoke throughout the base, "This is my domain," the display on the computer screen changed to show the Ood standing before a security camera, the Beast using them to talk, "You little things that live in the light...clinging to your feeble Suns...which in the..."

"That's not the Ood," Zach said over the loudspeaker, "Something's talking through them".

"Only Darkness remains," the Ood finished.

"This is Caption Zachary Cross Flane of Sanctuary Base Six representing the Torchwood archive," Zach said, "You will identify yourself".

"You know my name," the Ood said as one.

"What do you want?"

"You will die here. All of you. This planet is your grave".

"Fine by me as long as I get to pick my own song," the Hatter said, "How about 'Highway to hell'? I think it's fitting, don't you?"

"It's him," Toby trembled ignoring the Hatter, "It's him. It's him..."

"If you are the Beast then answer me this: which one?" the Doctor cut in from his comm., "Hmm? 'Cos the Universe has been busy since you've been gone. There's more religions then there are planets in the sky. The Archivists..."

"Pordonity," the Hatter cut in, "I was married off in that church. I ended up spending my wedding night pretending to have a head ache and climbing out the window".

"Christianity..." the Doctor said, "And Hatter I have got to hear that story".

"Pash-Pash..." the Hatter said, "Looking forward to it".

"New Judaism..." the Doctor added.

"Sanclar..." the Hatter said, "Another one but that time I ran off before I was married".

"Church of the Tin Vagabond," the Doctor and the Hatter finished in unison, "Which devil are you?"

"All of them," the voices replied.

"What, then you're the truth behind the myth?" the Doctor asked.

"This one knows me, as I know him. The killer of his own kind. All but one other".

The Hatter flinched slightly.

"How did you end up on this rock?" the Doctor asked, ignoring the Beast's last words.

"The Disciples of the Light rose up against me," the Beast answered, "And chained me in the pit for all eternity".

"When was this?" the Hatter asked.

"Before time".

"What does THAT mean?" the Doctor asked.

"Before time".

"What does 'before time' MEAN?" the Doctor asked again.

"Oh," the Hatter nodded, "Before light and time and space and matter. Before the cataclysm. Before this Universe was created".

"That's impossible," the Doctor argued, "No life could have existed back then".

"Is that your religion?" the Beast asked.

"It's a belief," the Doctor corrected.

"But is it not hers?" the Beast asked referring to the Hatter.

"There...there was an Order on Gallifrey," the Hatter sighed, "They did research into the theories. I joined the Order after I left school just before I was married. I never told anyone about it. The order only had Time Lady's of so called 'superior intelligences' or above the ordinary skills, sense I had both I didn't have any trouble join. The Order was top secret, not even the High Council knew about it. I found out about it when I was past a note in class from the teacher who was a member. The note told me to go to this empty class room. I wasn't going to go until I found out that the Rani had also gotten a note," she sighed and closed her eyes, "We both agreed to go together. When we arrived there was all these woman with mask covering their faces and waring robes with symbols on them. These symbols. I said earlier that I had seen them before, I hadn't realised that I had once worn them. We were given two choices, become one of the Order or have twenty-four hours of our, memorise wiped. The Rani jumped at the chances and joined later that night, I spent five day's thinking it over before agreeing to join".

"How long where you a member?" Rose asked curiously.

"Once a member of the Order always a member," the Hatter sighed, "Some people join to become powerful. Other's join because they were scared, I join so I could learn but there was a dark side to the Order. I can still remember when a young woman, only one-hundred-and-forty tried to leave," She took a deep breath looking slightly sick, "I can still hear her screaming. Anyone who tried to leave...ended up...being killed and the rest of the Order forced to watch. Still to this day I haven't forgiven myself for not stopping them".

"You know nothing," the Beast spat, "All of you. The captain, so scared of command. The soldier, haunted by the eyes of his wife. The scientist, still running from daddy. The little boy who lied. The virgin. The Time Lady, so scared by her darkest secrets. And the lost girl, so far away from home, the valiant child who will die in battle so very soon".

"Doctor, what does it mean?" Rose asked clearly scared.

"It's nothing Rose," the Hatter said trying cover up how shaken she was, "Don't listen to it".

"What does it mean?" Rose asked still scared.

"You will die..." the Beast sounded as if he was laughing, "And I shall live".

The footage of the Ood suddenly changed to a roaring, horned creature which made everyone but the Doctor and the Hatter gasp. Everyone else started talking over each other, scared by what they had just seen.

"What the hell was that?" Danny trembled looking scared.

"I had that thing inside my head!" Toby shouted looking a little sick.

"Doctor, what did it mean?" Rose asked.

"What do we do?" Danny turned to Jefferson, "Jefferson?"

"Captain?" Jefferson called into his wrist comm., "What's the situation on Strategy Nine?"

"Everyone, please-" the Hatter started to say but she was cut off.

"Zach, what do we do?" Danny asked.

"What if I can fix it?" Toby shook his head, "...the black hole, everything's true".

"Captain, report," Jefferson called.

"Everyone-" the Hatter started to say again but like before was cut off.

"We've lost picture..." Zach said.

"Doctor, how did he know all of...?" Rose began still focused on her own problems.

"Did anyone get...?" Ida shouted only to get cut off.

"Jefferson?" Zach called.

"What did it mean?" Rose cried.

"Please if you-" the Hatter started to say as the Doctor also tried to calm everyone down from his end.

"What do we do?" Danny asked, panicking.

"Report!" Jefferson shouted.

"Could everyone just SHUT UP!" the Hatter shouted making everyone look at her, falling silent, "Thank you. Now, this thing is playing on our very basic fears. Darkness, childhood, nightmares, all that stuff".

"But that's how the devil works," Danny argued.

"Or a good psychologist," the Doctor said.

"But...how did it know about my father?" Ida asked, fear showing in her voices.

The Doctor paused and the Hatter clicked her finger.

"The Ood have a low level telepathies meaning they can read your thoughts," the Hatter said before smiling, "Either that or they have been reading Sherlock Holmes and deducing everyone. Now that's something I would love to see".

"Hatter, not the time," the Doctor cut in but the Hatter could tell that he was trying not to smile.

"Right, sorry," the Hatter shook her head, "Anyway, What makes his version of the truth any better than mine? Hmm? Anyone? Because I'll tell you what I can see: Brilliant humans".

"Humans who travel all the way across space, flying in a tiny little rocket into the orbit of a black hole!" the Doctor cut in.

"Careful Doctor you're starting to sound like me," the Hatter said.

"There are worse people to sound like," The Doctor said, "Anyway, just for the sake of discovery, that's amazing! Do you hear me? Amazing. All of you. The captain, his officer, his elder, his genius, his friends. All the one advantage. The Beast is alone. We are not. If we can use that to fight against him..."

The Doctor suddenly cut off by a loud bang as the cable to the capsule snapped, falling down the shaft.

"The cable's snapped!" Ida shouted as Jefferson moved forwards, looking down the shaft with the Hatter next to him. Rose and Danny rushed over to the computer, Rose clinging to the comm.

"Get out!" the Doctor shouted, just moments before the cable landed at the bottom of the shaft coursing dust to waft in the air back up top .

"Doctor!" Rose shouted into the comm., "We lost the cable! Doctor, are you alright?" no reply, "Doctor?"

"Comms. Are down," Zach said.

"Doctor?" Rose tried again, "Doctor, can you hear me?"

"Rose he's fine," the Hatter said trying to calm Rose down, "Really, both of them are. I told you earlier that I would tell you if he was hurt straight away but he's not. Take a few deep breaths, Rose".

"I've still got life signs," Zach announced, "But...we've lost the capsule. There's no way out," he sighed, "They're stuck down there".

"A fate worse than death for Ida," the Hatter said trying to lighten the mood, "The Doctor's going to drive her insane".

Rose ran over to the shaft, ignoring the Hatter, looking down the black shaft, "But we've got to bring them back".

"Well, if you have some pixies dust on you Rose go ahead," the Hatter sighed not really pay attain, "Just remember to have faith, trust, and something else...or yes pixies dust," the Hatter stoped and looked up, "Sorry I was quoting Peter Pan Return to Neverland all well. Funny thing, the Doctor reminds me of Peter Pan, he has never really grown up," she stopped again, "Wait douse that make me Wendy? I don't know how I feel about that".

"They're ten miles down," Jefferson shook his head giving the Hatter a odd look, "We haven't got another ten miles of cable or...pixies dust," there was a loud bang on the door. Jefferson lifted his wrist with the comm., "Captain? Situation report".

"It's the Ood," Zach sighed, "They're cutting through the door bolts. They're breaking in".

"Yeah, it's the same on Door 25".

"How long's it gonna take?" Rose asked.

"Well, it's only a basic frame. It should take ten minutes".

"Nine and a half," the Hatter corrected, "If you want to be technical. You know I think I'm enjoying this more then I should be".

"I've got security frame," Zach said, "It might last a bit longer, but that doesn't help you".

"Yeah, thanks for pointing that out," the Hatter said before shaking her head, "I have spent too much time around the Doctor; it's starting to get to me".

"Right," Rose nodded ignoring the Hatter, "So we need to stop them, or get out, or both".

"I'll take both, yeah?" Danny rolled his eyes, "But how?"

"You heard the Doctor," the Hatter said patting down her pockets of her coat, looking for something, "Why do you think they cut him off? Because he was making sense. He was telling you to think your way out of this. Use your brillante human brains. Come on! For a start, we need some lights. There's has to be some sort of power around here".

"There's nothing I can do," Zach sighed sounding bitter, "Some captain, stuck in here, pressing buttons..."

"Then press the right buttons," the Hatter smiled still looking through her pockets, "Remember what I said earlier? This is your moment to shine, Captain Zachary".

"They've gutted the generators!" Zach said realizing what the Hatter was getting at, "But the rocket's got an independent supply. If I could reroute that...Mr. Jefferson? Open the bypass conduits. Override the safety..."

"Opening bypass conduits, sir," Jefferson quickly worked on the control panel.

"Channelling rocket feed, in 3...2...1...power".

The light's came back on and Rose clapped while the Hatter grinned.

"Brillante, there we go," the Hatter grinned before going back to her coat, "I'm sure I put it in here..."

"Let there be light!" Danny smiled.

"What about Strategy Nine thing?" Rose asked Jefferson.

"Not enough power," Jefferson said, "It needs a hundred percent".

"Alright," Rose cut in taking control as the Hatter pulled out things from her coat, "We need a way out. Zach, Mr. Jefferson, you start working on that," she turned to Toby, "Toby, what about you?"

Toby stood and turned away, "I'm not a soldier. I can't do anything".

"No, you're the archaeologist," the Hatter corrected making Rose and Toby jumped having not seen her walk over to them, "What do you know about the pit?"

"Well, nothing," Toby sighed, "I can't even translate the language. You said that you were a part of some group that could, why can't you do it?"

"Because I'm working on getting us out of here," the Hatter said, "And I'm asking you to do it".

"Maybe..." Toby began after a moment.

"What is it?" Rose asked.

"...Since that thing was inside my head," Toby said sounding a little unsure, "It's like the letters made more sense".

"I thought they would," the Hatter nodded looking thoughtful, "It's been a very long time senses I even saw these symbols, that's why I'm getting you to do this. Anything you can translate, anything at all, give it a go anyway".

Rose turned and walked over to Danny, "As for you, Danny-boy, you're in charge of the Ood, any way of stopping them?"

"Well...I don't know," Danny sighed.

"Then find out," Rose pulled Danny over to the computer, "The sooner we get control of the base, the sooner we can get the Doctor out. Shift".

"And Ida," the Hatter called over them as she looked through her pockets again, "If the Doctor goes down that pit, first I'm going to slap him then I'm going to kiss the idiot," Rose looked over at her, glaring daggers, "On the check, of course".

_**Thank you so much to the people who reviewed. As soon as I read them I started writing this chapter. Yes it will be a Hatter/Doctor story but not until a little later. The Doctor is stuck between Rose, the human girl that helped him to get through some off the guilt of the Time War, and his best friend who I think you could probably say that his always had a little bit of a thing for but never acted on his feelings in case it ruined their friendship. As for the Hatter, she's trying to get the Doctor to be with Rose because she wants them both to be happy. Anyway loved hearing what you thought, please review :)**_


	16. Chapter 16 The Satan pit part 2

_**The Satan pit part 2**_

"Open junction five...six...seven..." Jefferson counted down as Rose watched him work on the computer, both ignoring the banging on the door, "...reroute filters sixteen to twenty-four. Go".

"There's all sorts of viruses that could stop the Ood," Danny said to the Hatter as Rose walked over to them, "Trouble is, we haven't got them on board".

"I could come up with something if I had few simple chemicals," the Hatter sighed, "Chemistry was all was a bit of a hobby for me".

"Well, that's handy, listing all the things we haven't got," Rose rolled her eyes, "We haven't got a swimming pool either. Or a Tesco's".

They looked over when the computer beeped, the word 'affirmative' flashed on the screen, "Oh my God," Danny breathed getting excited, "It says yes! I can do it! Hypothetically, if you flip the monitor, broadcast a flare...it can disrupt the telepathy! Brainstorm!"

"What happens to the Ood?" Rose asked.

"It'll tank them, spark out!" Danny excitedly.

"There we are, then!" Rose smiled, "Do it!"

Danny's face fell and the Hatter sighed, "Let me guess, you have to transmit from the central monitor," Danny nodded, "Which is also a problem because it's in the Ood Habitation".

"Yeah," Danny said before he and Rose jumped as there was another bang on the door, sparks flying.

"It doesn't look like we have much of a choice anymore," the Hatter said glancing at the door, "Jefferson, do we have a way out?"

"Just about..." Jefferson nodded, "There's a network of maintenance tunnels running underneath the base. We should be able to gain access from here".

"Ventilation shafts," Rose smiled.

"Yeah, I appreciate the reference, but there's no ventilation," Jefferson sighed, "No air, in fact, at all. They were designed for machines, not life forms".

"But, I can manipulate the oxygen field from here," Zach said over the loudspeaker, "Create discrete pockets of atmosphere...if I control it manually...I can follow you through the network".

"That's not too hard," the Hatter nodded, "All we have to do is go down, and have the air follow us, by hand".

"You wanted me pressing buttons," Zach said.

"Yep," the Hatter nodded, "Alright we need to get to Ood Habitation, work out a route, please".

...

There was another violent bang on the door as Rose, Jefferson, Toby, and the Hatter stood around the opening to the maintenance tunnels. Danny was working on the computer. He had refused help from the Hatter.

"Danny!" Rose shouted glancing at the door.

"Hold on!" Danny shouted back still typing, "Just conforming..."

"I told you I could do it faster but no," the Hatter shook her head.

"You gotta go NOW!" Jefferson called to Danny as there was another bang, "Come on!"

"Yeah!" Danny shouted, pulling an orange computer chip out of the computer, before running back over to them at the entrance to the maintenance tunnel, "Put that in the monitor...and it's a bad time to be an Ood!"

"No need to sound so happy about it Danny," the Hatter said a little sadly, "I really hate people dying...or in this case Ood".

"We're coming back," Rose said looking around at them but skipping over the Hatter as if she wasn't there, "Have you got that? We're coming back to this room and we're getting the Doctor out".

"Not to forget Ida," the Hatter added, "The Doctor's not the only one trapped down there, Rose".

"Okay, Danny, you go first," Jefferson nodded for Danny to go into the tunnel, "Then you Miss Tyler, then Toby, then the Hatter, I'll go last in defence of position. Now come on! Quick as you can!"

The Hatter went to say something but closed her mouth at the look Jefferson sent her. They lowered them self's into the tunnel. Rose sniffed from up the front as she landed next to Danny, "God, it sticks. You alright?"

"Yeah, I'm laughing," Danny rolled his eyes as Toby landed next to him, "Which way do we go?" he asked into his wrist comm. as the Hatter landed next to him turning paler than normal, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," the Hatter shook her head taking a deep breath, "I don't really like enclosed spaces in this body. I was alright when I was with the Doctor but that could have also been because I was talking about my family. I just need to focus on something else, maybe counting down from sixty-thousand for a start".

"Just go straight ahead," Zach answered, "Keep going 'til I say so".

"Not you best angle, Danny," Rose remarked, glancing at his bum as they crawled down the tunnel.

"Oi!" Danny glared over his shoulder at Rose, "Stop it!"

"I dunno, it could be worse," Toby said looking at Rose's bum.

"Oi!" Rose said.

"What is it with human's needing to flirt with each other all the time?" the Hatter shook her head.

"You're one to talk," Toby said, "You and that Doctor".

"What!" the Hatter cried as she hit her head but before she could say anything, Zach spoke.

"Straight along until you find junction 7.1," Zach said over the comm., "Keep breathing. I'm feeding you air. I've got you".

They kept crawling until they reached the junction, all of them sitting down, out of breath, "We're at 7.1, sir," Danny said into his comm.

"Okay, I've got you..." Zach said, "I'm just aerating the next section".

"Getting kinda cramped, sir," Danny said, "Can't you hurry up?"

"I'm working on half power here," Zach remained him.

"Stop complaining," Jefferson ordered still a little breathless.

"I seconde that," the Hatter nodded before going back to counting.

"Mr. Jefferson says 'stop complaining,'" Rose said turning to Danny.

"I heard," Danny said.

Rose turned to Jefferson, "He heard".

Toby lifted his wrist with the comm. on it, "But the air's getting a bit thin".

"HE'S complaining now," Rose said to Jefferson.

"I heard," Jefferson rolled his eyes at her.

"Do you relies how much you sound like children?" the Hatter said shaking her head, "I mean I know I don't always act my age...actually it's a good thing I don't act my real age. Anyway, could we please be a little serious right now?"

Danny nodded, wiping sweat of his face as Rose sniffed, looking disgusted, "Danny, is that you?"

"I'm not exactly happy," Danny said defensive.

"I'm just moving the air..." Zach told them, "I've got to oxygenate the next section. Now, keep calm...or it's gonna feel worse".

Suddenly there was a bang at the other end of the tunnel, Jefferson aimed his gun and the Hatter pushed it back down, "When this is all over Mr. Jefferson, I'm chucking all of your guns out of an airlock".

"What was that?" Danny gasped looking around the tunnel.

"Mr. Jefferson, what was that?" Rose asked.

"What's that noise?" Toby asked, fearful.

"Captain...what was that?" Jefferson asked into the comm.

"Everyone just calm down," the Hatter said, "It's the Ood".

"The junction in Habitation Five's been opened," Zach called, "It _must_ be the Ood. They're in the tunnels!"

"Well, open the gate!" Danny cried.

"I've gotta get the air in!" Zach said.

"Just open it!...sir".

"Where are they?" Rose asked, "Are they close?"

"He won't be able to tell," The Hatter said, "The computer doesn't register Ood as proper life forms".

"Whose idea was that?" Rose breathed.

"OPEN the gate!" Danny yelled into his comm. The gate opened and they lunged through it.

"Danny, turn left," Zach ordered, "Immediate left".

They crawled down the tunnel as quickly as they could, Jefferson going backwards with his gun at the ready, "The Ood, sir, can't you trap them?" Jefferson asked, "Cut off the air?"

"Not without cutting off yours," Zach said as another bang sounded, "Danny, turn right. Go right! Go fast, Dan, they're gonna catch up!"

"I'll maintain defence of position!" Jefferson called, gesturing for them to go on.

"You can't stop!" Rose said looking back at him.

"She's right, Jefferson," the Hatter frowned.

Jefferson sat down and aimed his gun, "Miss. Tyler, Miss. Hatter, that's my job. You've got your tasks, now see to it".

"You heard what he said now SHIFT!" Toby shouted nudging Rose forward. They moved on, leaving Jefferson behind, the Hatter patted him on the shoulder before following after Toby. They heard gun fire behind them as they reached the next junction.

"8.2," Danny said into his comm., "Open 8.2, Zach!"

"I've gotta aerate it!" Zach shouted.

"OPEN IT NOW!" Danny yelled.

"I'm TRYING!"

Danny desperately hit the gate with his hand.

"Danny," the Hatter sighed glancing over her shoulder, "Taking our temper out on things is not going to help".

"Zach, get it open!" Toby shouted.

"Jefferson..." Zach called urgently, "I've gotta open 8.2 by closing 8.1. You've GOT to get past the junction, now that's an order, now MOVE!" there was a moment of silence as they heard Jefferson stop shooting, "I'm gonna lose oxygen, Jefferson, I can't stop for your dramatics!" they heard Jefferson as he started shuffling towards them.

The gate in front of them opened, and they crawled through, Rose and the Hatter glanced over their shoulders, waiting for Jefferson to catch up.

"Come on!" Danny shouted, rushing through the gate with the others following.

"Danny, turn left and head for 9.2," Zach ordered, "That's the last one Jefferson..." he paused before becoming more urgent, "You've gotta move faster. Move!"

"Come on Mr. Jefferson!" the Hatter shouted, seeing him through the gate.

"Keep GOING!" Toby shoved Rose forward as she stopped to look over her shoulder.

But it was too late, the gate close before Jefferson reached it, leaving him trapped on the other side.

"Regret to inform, sir..." Jefferson's voices came over the comm. a moment later, "I was a bit slow. Not so fast, these days".

"I can't open 8.1, John," Zach said sadly, "Now without losing air for the others".

"And quite right too, sir," Jefferson agreed, "I think I bought them a little time".

"There's nothing I can do, John," Zach sighed, "I'm sorry".

"I'm so, so, so, sorry, Mr. Jefferson," the Hatter said putting a hand on the gate sitting between them, "I truly am, but I hope you don't mind if I ask about your wife. What happened?"

"Thank you," Jefferson said, "And I don't mind. Some people I had used to know broke into our house and attacked me. My wife begged them to stop so they turned on her. Shot her. She died in my arms. Her last words were 'you'".

"I'm sorry," the Hatter sighed, "But...I don't think she ever blamed you. In fact I believe that she forgave you".

"Why would you say that?" Jefferson asked.

"Because she loved you," the Hatter smiled sadly, "And the thing about 'I love you' is the last word. You. She was saying 'I love you' Mr. Jefferson. I think you would say that that was forgiveness, wouldn't you? It's been wonderful to meet you; I only wish it could have been in a different place and time".

"All things happen for a reason, so the saying goes," Jefferson said before going on after a moment, "I ask, if you can't add oxygen to this section...can you speed up the process of its removal, sir?"

"I don't understand," Zach said sounding confused, "What do you mean?"

"Well...if I might choose manner of my departure, sir..." Jefferson said, "Lack of air seems more natural than...wall...let's say...death by Ood. I'd appreciate it, sir".

"God speed, Mr. Jefferson," Zach said sadly.

"Thank you, sir".

The Hatter hanged her head, her hand falling back to the floor as Zach spoke, "Report...Officer John Maynard Jefferson PKD...deceased...with honours. 43K2.1".

"Zach...we're at the final junction," Danny said as the Hatter joined them at the next gate, "9.2, and er...if my respects could be on record. He saved our lives".

"And mine," the Hatter added, "I might not be a crew member but you can still record it".

"Noted," Zach said, "Opening 9.2".

The gate opened to reveal a bunch of Ood, eye's glowing bright red. Danny, Rose, Toby, and the Hatter scrambled back.

"Zach, lower gate 9.2!" the Hatter called.

"Lower it, Zach!" Rose shouted.

"Back!" Danny ushered them, "Back! Back!"

"We can't go back!" Toby said, "The gang points sealed off, we're stuck!"

"What would you do without me?" the Hatter pushed the grilling above her head up, emerging into a corridor, "Get up!"

Danny and Rose quickly followed the Hatter, "Come on!" Rose shouted down to Toby, "Toby, came on! Toby, get out of there!"

"Help me! Toby shouted, reaching his arms up, "Oh, my God, help me!"

Rose and Danny hoisted him up through the hole as the Hatter put the grill back on, giving it a sonic just to be safe. They looked down to see more Ood coming from one end of the corridor.

"It's this way!" Danny shouted, running the other way, leading them as the Ood followed behind them.

"Hurry up!" Zach shouted from the comm.

They ran into Ood Habitation, rushing over to the computer as the Ood still in the pen looked up at them.

"Get it in!" Rose shouted at Danny.

"Danny, get down," Toby shouted.

"Oh, give it here," the Hatter said moving Danny away from the computer, typing faster than Toby, Danny, and Rose thought she could, "The Doctor and I used to have races at who could create a computer virus fastest. If you weren't fast enough then your computer would get a nasty virus on it. Of course everything was back up but we did get in trouble a few times," she explained seeing the look on their faces, "And...Transmit!"

The Hatter pressed the send button and the reading on the computer went down to Basic 0. They all turned around to see all of the Ood clutching their heads, stumbling, before falling to the floor.

"You did it!" Rose cheered not noticing the sad look on the Hatter's face, "We did it!"

"Yes!" Danny cried in delight, hugging Rose.

"Zach, we did it," Rose called into the comm., "The Ood are down. Now we've gotta get the Doctor".

"I'm on my way," Zach said as they turned and ran out of Ood Habitation.

...

As soon as they ran into the exploration deck, Rose grabbed the comm., "Doctor? Are you there? Doctor? Ida? Can you still hear me?"

"The comms. are still down," Zach said as he join them, "I can patch them through the central desk and boost the signal. Just give me a minute," he started working on the computer while the Hatter closed her eyes, looking into the Doctor's mind but making sure he didn't know that she was there.

"_...I didn't ask," _the Doctor was saying to Ida as he realised a hook, being lowered into the pit, _"Have you got any sort of faith, or..."_

"_Not really," _Ida said, _"I was brought up Neo Classic, congregational...because of my mum, she was..." _she paused for a moment, _"My old mum. But no, I never believed"._

"_Neo Classic," _the Doctor nodded, _"Have they got a devil?"_

"_No, not as such," _Ida said, _"Just um...things that men do"._

"_Same thing in the end," _the Doctor commented still not realising that the Hatter was listening in.

"_What about you?"_

The Doctor paused a moment, thinking, _"I believe...I believe I haven't seen everything, I don't know...its funny, isn't it? The things you make up, the rules. If that thing had said it came from BEYOND the Universe, I'd believe it, but BEFORE the Universe...Impossible. Doesn't fit my rule. Still, that's why I keep travelling. To be proved wrong. Thank you, Ida"._

"_Don't you dare,"_ the Hatter said making the Doctor blink slightly in surprise.

"_Don't go!" _ Ida pleaded.

"_If they get back in touch..." _the Doctor said ignoring the Hatter and Ida, _"If you talk to Rose...just tell her...tell her I...oh, she knows,"_ he paused a moment, leaning his head against the rope, blocking the Hatter from his head, "If only _she_ did," he unblocked the Hatter, making sure that she didn't catch on to what he had just said, _"I was never good at telling people how I feel,"_ ignoring the Hatter and Ida's calls, released the rope and falling into nothingness.

...

"Doctor?" Rose called as the Hatter opened her eyes, taking a few deep breaths to keep her temper in check, "Are you there? Doctor, Ida? Can you hear me?" Rose waited a moment before trying again, "Are you there, Doctor?"

"He won't answer," the Hatter sighed just as Ida said, "His gone".

"What do you mean?" Rose asked, fearfully, "'He's gone'?"

"He fell," Ida told her as the Hatter put her face in her hands. She knew that he was ok, but she was still upset that he had gone into the pit, alone, "Into the pit," Ida was saying, "And I don't know how deep it is, miles and miles and miles".

"But what do you mean 'he fell?'" Rose asked her voices braking.

"I couldn't stop him," Ida said, "He said your name..."

"Rose," the Hatter said looking up from her hands, "He's alive but other than that I'm not sure. He's blocking me. There must be a reason why, but he is still alive".

Rose nodded as Zach leant over, tacking the comm. from Rose to talk to Ida, "I'm sorry," he said before talking into the comm., "Ida? There's no way of reaching you. No cable, no back up...you're ten miles down...we can't get there".

"You should see this place, Zach," Ida said a moment later, "It's beautiful. Well, I wanted to discover things..." she trailed off, beginning to tear up, "And here I am".

"We've got to abandon the base," Zach informed her, "I'm declaring this mission unsafe. All we can do is make sure no one ever comes here again".

"But we'll never find out what is was?" Ida augured.

"Well, maybe that's best," Zach shrugged.

"Yeah".

A moment of silences past before Jack spoke, "Officer Scott..."

"It's alright," Ida cut in, "Just go. Good luck".

"Thank you," Zach said quietly before shutting the comm. off and turned to the crew, "Danny, Toby, close down the feed links. Get the retrotopes online. Then get to the rocket, strap yourselves in. We're leaving".

"I'm not going," Rose turned to Zach as the Hatter put her face in her hands.

"Rose, there's space for you," Zach said before turning to the Hatter, "Both of you".

"No, I'm gonna wait for the Doctor," Rose shook her head, "Just like he waited for me".

"I'm sorry," Zach said stepping forward, "But..."

"You don't know him," Rose cut in as the Hatter looked up, "The Hatter just said that he's alive, then he's alive. And even if he wasn't, how could I leave him? All on his own, all the way down there? No. I'm gonna stay".

Zach nodded, "Then I apologize for this. Danny, Toby, make her secure".

"What are you doing?" the Hatter asked stepping forward only for Zach to push her to the side, "Hey!"

"No, No!" Rose cried as Toby and Danny grabbed each of her arms, holding them down as she struggled, "No! No! No! Let me go!" she screamed at them but they didn't let her go, "Get off me! I'm not leaving!" Zach stepped forward, plunging a needle into her arm, "No..."

Rose fell forward, unconscious and Zach caught her, "I have lost too many people," Zach sighed, "I am not leaving you behind," he looked at the Hatter, "We can't wait".

"I agree," the Hatter nodded, "Take Rose and put her on board, I will make sure that you can get away smoothly," she started typing on the computer, "I can put up a temporary field around the rocket from here. The field will only last twenty minutes, enough to get away from the black hole, faster and a lot safer then without it".'

"I don't think so," Zach shook his head, "You're coming even if I have to do the same to you," he motioned to Rose, "Now".

The Hatter turned around from the computer, "Oh, no I am not. I'm over nine hundred years old, Zach. It's my choices how I live or in this case die," Toby and Danny grabbed the Hatter's arms before she could move, "Let go of me! Don't you dare put that needle in my arm! I'm trying to save your lives!"

"And I'm saving yours," Zach said before plunging the needle into the Hatter's arm. They waited a few minutes for the drugs to take affected like they had with Rose, but the Hatter only struggled more.

"Time Lady," the Hatter said, "That won't work on me. Now let me go!"

"What about chloroform?" Zach pulled out a pieces of clothe, covering the Hatter's mouth and noses with it.

The Hatter tried to hold her breath but after a minute or so had past the Hatter was forced to take a breath, inhaling the fumes of the chloroform, passing out.

...

The Hatter wasn't sure how long she had been out for but she did know that she was on the rocket. She could hear Rose's voices shouting for them to take her back, only for Zach to tell her that is was too late.

"What's...what..." the Hatter slowly opened her eyes. She was strapped to a chair but other than that she couldn't tell. Her eyes were still having trouble focusing on things and her head was pounding. She could hear the other's talking around her, or maybe they were yelling. It was as if she was hearing through an old radio speaker, caching words here and there but not enough to make out properly.

"Rose..." the Hatter said as thing's started to become clearer. She could just make out Rose's blond hair; "Rose...take this..." she slowly pulled out a small device from her pocket, carful passing it to Rose, "In exactly three minutes time, aim and press the button at the black hole...like a television remote, it will close it, but it must be right on time. One seconded over and it will be too late".

"Right," The Hatter heard Rose mutter before she turned back to the others, "It doesn't make sense," the Hatter could feel herself slipping away again but forced herself to keep her eyes open, "We escaped, but there's a thousand ways it could've killed us," Rose said sounding thoughtful, "It could've...ripped out the air or...I dunno, burnt us, or anything. But it let us go. Why? Unless it wanted us to escape..."

"Hey, Rose, do us a favour..." the Hatter heard Toby's voices, "Shut up. Almost there. We'll be beyond the reach of the black hole in 40...39..."

Suddenly the rocket started shaking, "What happened?" Danny voices asked from somewhere at the front, "What was that?"

"Good...Doctor," the Hatter muttered, her eyes slipping slightly close before shacking herself.

"What's he doing?" Toby gasped, "What is he doing?"

"We've lost the funnel!" Zach's voices shouted, "Gravity collapse!"

"What does that mean?" Rose yelled.

"We can't escape," Zach shouted, "We're heading straight for the black hole!"

"It's the planet, Rose," the Hatter said trying to keep herself awake, "The planet's falling, this would never have happened if I had stayed behind".

"I am the rage!" Toby suddenly spoke in the voices of the Beast, "And the bile and the ferocity".

"Rose...you...must...un-strap...him," the Hatter breathed, "You...know...what...to...do".

Slowly everything blurred into nothingness as the Hatter eyes slipped shut again and she fall asleep.

...

"Hatter," a voice called, "Hatter, come on Hatter,"

The Hatter slowly opened her eyes, blinking a few times to bring things into forces. The first thing she saw was the worried face of the Doctor, leaning over her slightly. The seconded thing she saw was that she had somehow ended up back inside her bedroom, in the TARDIS.

"I would ask if that was all just a dream but I don't usually get chloroformed before I go to bed," the Hatter commented making the Doctor grin, "What happened? Is Rose ok? What about Ida and the rest of the crew? Did Rose close the black hole in time?"

"First off..." the Doctor started off looking serious before smiling, "You sure can talk after being chloroformed. Did you even take a breath?"

"Very funny Doctor," the Hatter rolled her eyes, sitting up against her pillows, "Just tell me what happened?"

"Alright," the Doctor held up his hands, "First off, Rose is fine. Tired but fine. Ida was a bit, oxygen starved but she'll be fine. The crew also good...other then Toby..." the Hatter sighed sadly, "Rose managed to close the black hole," the Doctor pulled out the device that the Hatter had given Rose earlier from his pocket, " Let me guess, you were bored and had some free time".

"Some woman go shopping others cook," the Hatter shrugged, "I spend my free time building new gadgets".

"I'm not surprised," the Doctor shook his head fondly, "I couldn't save the Ood. I only had time for trip. Anything else?"

"Not that I can think of," the Hatter shook her head, "Wait, how did I get back here?"

The Doctor scratched the back of his head, "Um, I carried you".

"Just like old times really," the Hatter shrugged, "So, chess anyone?"

The Doctor grinned, rushing over to the Hatter's desk getting the chess board before setting it back up on the other side of the Hatter's bed.

"Just like old times," the Doctor grinned.

_**I would have finished this chapter earlier but I'm back at school. Plus my older sister was driving me insane, waring my clothes and asking me if they looked good on her.(She's twenty eight years old, wearing a fifteen year olds clothes) Usually I just ignore her but she wouldn't get out of my room until I told her what I thought. Anyway, that's my little rant over, tell me what you think, Please review :)**_


	17. Chapter 17 Fear her part 1

_**Fear her part 1**_

The Doctor stepped out of the TARDIS to find that he had materialized in-between two crates, the door way facing one of the crates, blocking the way.

"Ah," the Doctor muttered before stepping back inside the TARDIS.

"You parked us the wrong way around," the Hatter smiled, "Again. Next time leave it to someone who actually past her test," she turned back around, facing the consol and pulling a lever, "I'm sorry old girl but he's a bit of an idiot sometimes".

"Oi!" the Doctor called, "Don't talk like that to _my_ TARDIS".

"I must not lie, Doctor," the Hatter smiled stepping outside, the Doctor and Rose behind her, "Hang on, sorry I was reading Harry Potter last night. I really need to stop quoting things".

"Ah!" the Doctor grinned stepping out onto street.

Rose looked around, noticing a Shayne Ward poster tapped to a fence, "So, near future, yeah?"

"I had a passing fancy," the Doctor shrugged, "Only it didn't pass, it stopped".

They headed down the road towards a small street to see a banner with the words 'London 2012' hanging overhead.

"It's the 30th Olympic," the Hatter pointed up at the banner, "I can still remember sneaking into the first Olympics. Sadly my companion and I were court and chucked in jail. And of course I had left my sonic screwdriver in my other coat so we had to wait. The only reason why we got out at all was because the empire thought I looked like the Greek Goddess Aphrodite but with the wisdom and the intelligences of Athens. Personally the only thing I think I have in common with Aphrodite was the red hair." She picked up a piece of her own red hair, "Of course my hair was lighter than this, plus my eyes were blue not green back then".

"No way!" Rose grinned, not noticing the look that had passed on the Doctor's face as the Hatter had been talking, "Why didn't I think of this, that's great! Ah!" she linked one of her arms through the Doctors.

"Only seems like yesterday a few naked Greek blokes were tossing a discus about..." the Doctor beamed, linking his free arm through the Hatter's, "Wrestling each other in the sand with crowds stood about, begging...no, wait a minute...that was Club Med," he laughed, nudging Rose who laughed before he turned and nudged the Hatter, "Just in time for the opening doo dah, ceremony...tonight, I thought you'd like that. Last one they had in London was dynamite. Wembley, 1948. I loved it so much, I went back and watched it all over again. Fella carrying the torch...lovely chap, what was his name..." he trailed off trying to think, walking forward, unaware that the Hatter and Rose had stopped.

Rose stepped closer to a lamp post with 'Missing People' posters taped to it, while the Hatter sniffed the air, going into a small coughing fit at the smell.

"Mark? John? Mark? Legs like a pipe cleaners, but strong as a whippet".

"Doctor..." Rose called frowning at the posters

"And in those days, everybody had a tea party to go to..."

"Doctor?" Rose called again as the Hatter continued to cough.

"Did you ever have one of those little cakes with crunchy ball bearings on top-"

"Doctor shut up," the Hatter said a little wheezy from the coughing, "Come over here before I hit you over the head".

"You should really look," Rose cut in, pointing at the poster as the Doctor hurried over to them, patting the Hatter on her back as she coughed.

"Do you know those...those things?" the Doctor asked as he rubbed the Hatter's back as she coughed, trying not to notices the look she gave him, "Nobody else in this entire galaxy's ever even bothered to make edible ball bearings. Genius".

"I'll give you a ball bearing in a minuet if you don't shut up," the Hatter muttered before going into another coughing fit, "I don't think I have coughed this much in years".

The Doctor leaned closer to the poster, reading it, "What's taking them, do you think?" he looked down the street as the Hatter did the same, "Snatching children from a thoroughly ordinary street like this. Why's it so cold? Is something reducing the temperature?"

"But what would be the point?" the Hatter shook her head.

"It says they all went missing this week," Rose said, "Why would a person do something like this?"

"What makes you think that it's a person?" the Hatter asked glancing at her before looking at the Doctor, "Um...Doctor you can stop patting me on the back now but as soon as I start coughing again you'll be the first person I'll call".

"Um, yes...right," the Doctor muttered going slightly pink looking anywhere but the Hatter.

"Whatever it is, it's got the whole street scared to death," Rose said as she watched a woman dumping her recycling, watching her, "Doctor, what..." she turned only to see the Doctor and the Hatter at the end of the street.

The Doctor and the Hatter crouched down by a mini football goal. They both held out there hands, the Hatter smiled slightly while the Doctor giggled, "Tickles!" he grinned as the Hatter laughed at the Doctor's face.

"What's your game?" Suddenly a man's voices called making the Hatter jump. They both looked up to see a man standing next to his open door, frowning at them.

"My...um...Snakes and Ladders?" the Doctor said standing up, making the Hatter cover her laugh with a cough, "Quite good at...squash. Reasonable...she's better," he nodded to the Hatter before turning back to the very unimpressed looking man, "I'm..." he looked at the Hatter who was shaking her head.

"Being facetious?" the Hatter suggested trying to look serious, "Don't worry sir, he's always like this. Just between you and me I think he's trying to be like me. Bless," she pinched the Doctor's cheek, "Poor dear".

"What are you doing in my front garden?" the man shouted before grabbing both the Doctor and the Hatter's by their coats, shoving them back into the street as the Doctor grabbed the Hatter away from the man's grip and pulling her behind his back.

"We're...we're police officers!" the Doctor held up his hands backing away, "We've got a badge...and...and a police car...you don't have to get...I can...I can prove it! Just hold on..." he started going through his pockets, looking for the psychic paper, "You didn't take it again did you?" he asked the Hatter.

"Not this time," the Hatter whispered.

"We've had plenty of coppers poking around here," the man said roughly, "And you don't look, or sound, like any of them".

"See, look!" the Doctor pointed at Rose as she appeared from somewhere, "I've got a colleague! Stewart!"

Rose gave the man a wink.

"What about red?" the man glared at them pointing at the Hatter, "She looks more like a model then a copper".

"It's Officer Smith, sir," the Hatter smiled at the man, "Still in training. New recruit aren't we Stewart?" Rose nodded giving the man another smile, "My mum told me that it was this or hairdressing, so..." she pulled out the Doctor's psychic paper, "Voila! Sorry sir but I forgot to give this to you earlier when you were showing it to me".

"What are you going to do?" a middle aged woman asked, walking over to them from her house.

"The police have knocked on every door," an old woman standing near Rose said, "No clues, no leads, nothing".

"Look, kids run off sometimes, alright?" the man said, "That's what they do..."

"Dale Hixon in your garden, playing with your Tommy, and then..." the old woman mimicked something disappearing, "Right in front of me, like he was never there! There's no need to look any further than this street. It's right here amongst us".

"Why don't we..." the Doctor started only to be cut off.

"Why don't we start with him?" another middle aged woman with red hair walked over to them, pointing at the black male road working, "There's been all sorts like him in this street, day and night".

"Please-" the Hatter began only to be cut off.

"Fixing things up for the Olympics!" the man defended himself.

"Yeah, and taking an awful long time about it," Tommy's dad cut in.

"I'm not even going to try to interrupt," the Hatter muttered to the Doctor, "They won't listen anyway".

"I'm of the opinion that all we've gotta do is just..." the Doctor began only to be cut off.

"Told you," the Hatter sighed.

"You don't...what you just said, that's slander!" the road worker cried.

"I don't care what it is!" the red headed woman shouted.

"I think we need to just..." the Doctor tried again.

"I want an apology off her!" the road worker, pointed at the woman.

"Stop picking on him," the old woman cut in.

"Yeah, stop picking on me!"

"And stop pretending to be blind! It's evil!"

"I don't believe in evil," the woman glared at the road worker.

"Oh no, you just believe in tarmakers with sack loads of kidnapped kiddies in their van..." the road working cried angrily.

"Ay, ay, ay, that's not what she's saying," Tommy's dad cut in.

"Would you stop ganging up on me?"

"Feeling guilty, are we?" the woman demanded

"Fingers on lips!" the Hatter shouted suddenly, putting a finger on her own lips, glaring at all of the humans until they did the same. She glanced at the Doctor before putting a finger on his lips. Rose glared at the Hatter before putting her own finger on her lips at the look the Doctor sent her.

"That's better," the Hatter took her finger away from her mouth but not from the Doctor's, "Right, so, in the last six days, three of your children have been stolen. Snatched out of thin air, right?"

"Er...can I...?" the old lady gestured to her finger as the Hatter nodded at her, "Look around you...this was a safe street 'til it came. It's not a person. I'll say it if no one else will. Maybe you're coppers, maybe you're not. I don't care who you are. Can you please help us?"

"Yes," the Hatter smiled before she spotted a young girl watching them through her window. The other woman standing in the group notices the Hatter looking at the girl, glancing at the window before hurrying inside the house that the girl was in.

"Cruiser and cruiser," the Hatter mutated to the Doctor, wiping the finger that had been on his mouth on his coat.

...

The Doctor sniffed around Tommy's Dad's garden, as if he was some sort of hunting dog, while Rose and the Hatter watched him both looking amused.

"Want a hanky?" Rose joked.

"Can you smell it?" the Doctor asked ignoring Rose's joke, "What does is remind you of?"

"Sort of...metal?" Rose sniffed, frowning.

"Burnt fuse," the Hatter added as they walked around the house and into the alleyway behind it, "Teleport exchange".

"Danny Edwards cycled in one end but never came out the other," the Doctor nodded to the back of one of the houses before pausing as the Hatter coughed, "Whoa, there it goes again!" the Doctor held up his hand to the Hatter and Rose, "Look at the hairs on the back of my manly hairy hand".

"Yes very manly, Doctor," the Hatter coughed but still managed to roll her eyes.

"And there's that smell again..." Rose sniffed, grimacing.

"There's a residual energy in the spots where the kids vanished," the Doctor told Rose as they left the alley and back to the main street, "Whatever it was, it used an awful lot of power to do this".

"Aren't you a beautiful boy?" Rose cooed from behind them.

"Thanks!" the Doctor grinned not turning around, "I'm experimenting with back-combing".

"Sorry to burst your bubble Doctor but she wasn't talking about you," the Hatter laughed. The Doctor turned around to see Rose was talking to a small orange cat.

"Oh," the Doctor mutated, looking a little embarrassed.

"Don't worry Doctor I think your beautiful," the Hatter said making the Doctor go pink, "From a distances of course".

"Thanks," the Doctor muttered as the Hatter laughed at his face

"I used to have one like you," Rose smiled at the cat while the Doctor watched, looking as if he had just swallowed a fly, "What?" Rose asked looking at him.

"No, I'm not really a cat person," the Doctor admitted making the Hatter smiling thinking about his sixes self, "Once you've been threatened by one in a nun's wimple, it kind of takes the joy out of it".

"You are such a liar," the Hatter shook her head, "You used to love them when you where in you sixes body".

"I thought that you didn't like my six's body," the Doctor said, "He was the only one that you ever punched".

"Yeah, but you where just so...different from your fifth self," the Hatter shrugged, "I always liked your fifth self and for him to be replaces with a rude and arrogant man like him was just too much. But you did deserve getting punched. They way you talked to me and even the way you treated other people was horrible compared to the way your fifth self acted".

"Doctor!" Rose suddenly shouted from her spot next to a box, "Over here!"

They both ran over to Rose as she stood up, the smell hit them and the Hatter started having another coughing fit.

"Whoa!" the Doctor waved his hand trying to wave the smell away, "Hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo!" he picked up the box looking at it, "Iron residue. Blimey! That takes some doing! Just to snatch a living organism out of space/time. This baby is just like," he put on an accent, "'I'm 'avin' some of that'-I'm impressed'".

"I'm glad someone is," the Hatter coughed.

"So the cat's been transported?" Rose asked frowning.

"It can harness huge reserves of ionic power," the Hatter coughed, "We need to find the source of the power".

The Doctor nodded, "Find the source and you will find...whatever has taken to stealing children and fluffy animals. See what you can see," he hit Rose on her shoulder and gestured with his eyes, "Keep 'em peeled, Lewis".

"It's Stewart, Doctor," the Hatter shook her head. Rose rolled her eyes and walked down the street, the Hatter headed over to the over side of the street and the Doctor went over to another house.

The Hatter looked up as she heard a crash from over where Rose was standing next to a carport door. Walking over she could hear Rose muttering to herself.

"Not gonna open it," Rose muttered looking at the door not noticing the Hatter walking over to her, "Not gonna open it. Not gonna open it..."

She stepped forward, slowly opening the door and looking inside until something jumped out at her. Just before it hit her she was shoved to the other side. Whoever shoved her then crawled in front of her putting their body between whatever the attacker was.

"Stay still!" the Doctor's voices shouted as he pointed the sonic at the thing. It convulsed and collapsed into a small ball, falling on to the grass. The Doctor ran over to them as they pushed themselves to their feet, "Okay dokey? You ok?" he asked looking them over with his eyes.

"Yeah," Rose breathed, "Cheers".

"No probs," the Doctor nodded before picking up the small black ball showing it to the Hatter and Rose, "I'll give you a fiver if you can tell me what the hell it is," he poked the thing with the sonic, "'Cos I haven't got the foggiest".

"First off: you don't have a fiver," the Hatter said, "Secondly is graphite".

"How do you know?" Rose frowned.

"Because usually thing's don't taste like graphite unless they are graphite," the Hatter shrugged before picking up the ball and liking it, closing her eyes and making a face, "Yep, graphite. It's made out of the same energy that's snatching people," she tossed it back to the Doctor sticking her tongue out; "I am never doing that again".

"That is so dinky!" the Doctor grinned tossing it up and down, "The Go-Anywhere creature. Fits in your pocket...makes friends, impresses the boss...breaks the ice at parties..." he grinned at Rose and the Hatter before pocketing it.

...

"Yup..." the Doctor said reading the rustles on the monitor in the TARDIS, "Its graphite. Basically the same material as an HB pencil," he grinned over at the Hatter, "Not that I doubted you".

"You had better not have," the Hatter smiled.

"So I was attacked by a...pencil scribble?" Rose frowned.

"Scribble creature has a nicer ring to it," the Hatter shrugged as the Doctor sniffed it before holding it out for Rose to sniff it, "Brought into being with ionic energy. Whatever we're dealing with, it can create things as well as take them".

"But why make a scribble creature?" the Doctor shook his head.

"Maybe it was a mistake...I mean, you scribble over something when you wanna get rid of it," Rose suggested, "Like a, um...like a drawing. Like a...a..."

"Like a child's drawing," the Hatter gasped, "It's in the street".

"Probably..." the Doctor said not understanding what the Hatter was getting at.

"The girl...of course," the Hatter said.

"Of COURSE!" the Doctor shouted before frowning, "...what girl".

"There was a little girl watching us earlier," the Hatter frowned, "Something about the way she watched us was...off. Not right for a girl her age. And not to mention how her mother reacted to her. She was scared. Not just because her daughter could be snatched but because of something her daughter does or is doing".

"Are you deducting?" the Doctor grinned leaning closer to the Hatter.

"I think I might just be," the Hatter smiled.

"Copper's hunch?" the Doctor joked.

"Permission to follow it up, Sarge?" the Hatter laughed giving the Doctor a mock salute.

_**Sorry about the wait, but school again. Anyway I hoped you liked it, tell me what you thought, please review :) **_


	18. Chapter 18 Fear her part 2

_**Fear her part 2**_

The Doctor rang the doorbell, waiting for an answer to the house that the Hatter had seen the girl in. When no one answered he rapped on the letterbox.

A moment later the door opened to reveal the girl's mother, they smiled at her, "Hello! I'm the Doctor, this is the Hatter, and this is Rose. Can we see your daughter?" the Doctor asked.

"No!" the woman said at once, "You can't".

"Okay!" the Doctor shrugged, "Bye".

They turned and started to walk away in silence, until...

"Why?" the woman called as they turned back around to face her, "Why do you want to see Chloe?"

"Well, there's interesting stuff going on in this street," the Hatter shrugged giving the woman a smile, "And we just thought that she might like to give us a hand".

"Sorry to bother you," Rose smiled.

"Yeah, sorry," the Doctor added, "We'll let you get on with things. On your own. Bye again!"

They turned back around and started walking again when...

"Wait!" Chloe's mother called. They faced her again, this time to see her looking helpless, "Can you help her?"

The Hatter walked forwards, giving the woman another smile, "Yes, we can".

"I'm Trish," Trish said quietly, stepping back and motioning for them to come inside, "By the way".

"The Torch Bearer is running up towards the mall," the TV commentator announced on the news as they walking into the living room, "Which I can tell you is..."

Rose sat herself down on the sofa, the Hatter sitting on the arm as the Doctor flung his coat into her lap. The Hatter raised her eyebrows at him before throwing it back at him, rolling her eyes at him.

"Do I look like a coat rack to you, Doctor?" the Hatter shook her head.

"She stays in her room, most of the time," Trish told them as the Doctor grinned at the Hatter, "I try talking to her; but it's like trying to speak to a brick wall. She gives me nothing, just asks to be left alone".

"What about Chloe's dad?" Rose asked.

"Chloe's dad died a year ago," Trish said sounding tense.

"I'm sorry," Rose apologised looking a little awkward.

"He wasn't the type of man you would mourn," the Hatter stated, making everyone look at her, "I know a woman who was abused when I see one, Trish".

"How?" Trish frowned.

"You don't have any photos of him," the Hatter motioned towards the walls, "And the way you look when you talk about him...I know that look very well," she could see at of the corner of her eye the Doctor watching her, looking confused by what she was saying, "My own marriage was...let's just say a very un-happy one. One day I told him that he wasn't going to do something and he snapped. Slapped me. After that it happened more and more often and I couldn't tell anyone about it because I was so scared. The only person I ever told was a young girl called Susan," she glanced over to the Doctor who looked as if he was having a hard time deciding what he should do, "She begged me to tell her grandfather but I just could never bring myself to tell him".

"I'm sorry," Trish said.

"No, I'm sorry for you," the Hatter shrugged standing up putting on a bright, happy face, "Well! Let's go and say hi!"

"Hatter," the Doctor hissed in her ear.

"Later," the Hatter mutated, "Please".

"I should check her first..." Trish hesitated not noticing the Doctor and the Hatters conversation.

"Why are you so afraid of her, Trish?" the Hatter asked turning her back on the Doctor to look at Trish.

"I want you to know before you see her that she's really a great kid," Trish told them.

"I'm sure she is".

"She's never been in trouble at school...you should see her report from last year, As and Bs," Trish smiled, proudly.

Rose smiled, "Can I use your loo?"

Trish nodded as Rose left the room, "She's in the choir..." Trish said as the Hatter nodded for her to go on, "She's singing in an old folks home. Any mum would be proud. You know..." they heard the sound of footsteps on the stairs, Chloe walking down them, "I want you to know these things before you see her. Because right now, she's not herself".

The Doctor and the Hatter both nodded but the Hatter could tell that the Doctor's nod was more forced. They both leaned over and spotted Chloe through the dining room, in the kitchen, "Alright, there?" the Doctor called as he, the Hatter, and Trish headed into the kitchen.

"I'm the Doctor," he said as Chloe drank some milk before putting it back in the fridge, "And this is the Hatter".

"Hello," the Hatter waved.

"I'm Chloe Webber," Chloe said turning to face them.

"How're you doing, Chloe Webber?" the Doctor asked.

"I'm busy," Chloe told him, "I'm making something. Aren't I, mum?"

Trish didn't answer, looking at the Doctor and the Hatter, "And Like I said, she's not been sleeping".

"But you've been drawing," the Hatter smiled walking over to Chloe, taking her hand before Chloe stepped away from her, "Why is it that everyone is always flinching away from me?"

"I'm rubbish," the Doctor said, "Stick men are about my limit. Can do this, though..." he made a 'live long and prosper' sign but Chloe remained expressionless.

"Can you do that?" the Hatter asked trying to do it herself and failing, "The Doctor's bad at drawing I'm bad at hand sings. Should have none".

"They don't stop moaning," Chloe told them ignoring the Hatter.

"Chloe..." Trish sighed.

"I try to help them, but they don't stop moaning," Chloe said as the Doctor lowered his hand and the Hatter walked back over to him.

"Who don't?" the Hatter frowned.

"We can be together," Chloe told them not answering the Hatter.

"Sweetheart..." Trish moved towards Chloe.

"Don't touch me, mum," Chloe threatened Trish, making her drop her hand and stopped in her tracks. Chloe looked back at the Doctor and the Hatter, "I'm busy...Doctor. Hatter".

Chloe turned and started to leave.

"Oh, come on, Chloe!" the Doctor called after her, "Don't be a spoil sport!" he followed Chloe back into the hallway with the Hatter, "What's the big project? I'm dying to know! What're you making up there?"

"Doctor!" Rose suddenly screamed from somewhere upstairs.

The Doctor and the Hatter rushed up the stairs, Trish and Chloe behind them. They spotted a red glow coming from one of the rooms, running inside to find Rose staring transfixed into the wardrobe.

"I'm coming to hurt you..." a deep voice threatened from deep within the wardrobe.

The Doctor slammed the door shut on the wardrobe without looking inside. The Hatter shrived slightly before walking further into the room.

"Look at it," Rose breathed pointing at the closed wardrobe door.

"No," the Doctor shook his head walking over to the Hatter who was on the over side of the room looking at the wall coved in drawings, "Are you alright? You look a little pale," he whispered.

"What?" the Hatter whispered before shacking herself, "I'm fine, really, just that voices reminded me of the 'Beast'. Not really my favourite adventure. You sure know how to show a girl a good time".

"Yeah, not really the time to make jokes," The Doctor whispered before taking his glasses out and slipping them on to have a better look at the drawings, "And we are talking about what you said earlier when this is all over. No matter what happens".

"What the hell was that?" Trish demanded.

"A drawing," Rose said, "The face of a man".

"What face?" Trish asked, trying to open the wardrobe doors but Rose stopped her.

"Best not".

"What've you been drawing?" Trish asked turning to Chloe.

"I drew him yesterday," Chloe told her.

"Who?" Trish frowned.

"Dad," Chloe answered and the Hatter nodded glancing over to them.

"Your dad?" Trish gasped looking upset, "But he's long gone. Chloe, with all the lovely things in the world, why him?"

"I dream about him, staring at me".

"I thought we were putting him behind us. What's the matter with you?"

"We need to stay together," Chloe told her.

"Yes, we do," Trish nodded.

"No," Chloe glared at her mother as the Doctor and the Hatter looked over, "We need to stay together. And then it'll be alright".

Trish put a hand on Chloe's shoulder only for her to flinch away.

"Trish, the drawings, have you seen what Chloe's drawings can do?" Rose asked.

"Who gave you permission to come into her room?" Trish glared at Rose, "Get out of my house".

"Tell us about the drawings," the Hatter said as the Doctor put the drawing he was looking at down.

"I don't wanna hear any more of this," Trish shook her head.

"But that drawing of her dad...I heard a voice," Rose argued, "He spoke".

"He's dead," Trish said, "And these...they're kids pictures. Now get out!"

"Chloe had a power," Rose said, "And I don't know how, but she used it to take Danny Edwards. Dale Hicks...she's using it to snatch the kids".

"Get out".

"Have you seen those drawings move?" Rose asked.

"I haven't seen anything," Trish shook her head.

"Yes, you have," the Hatter stated, "Out of the corner of your eye".

"No," Trish shook her head turning towards the Hatter.

"And you dismissed it," the Doctor nodded, "Because what choice did you have when you see something you can't possibly explain?" he moved closer to Trish, "You dismissed it, right? And if anyone mentions it, you get angry, so it's never spoken of, ever ag..."

"She's a child..."

"And your terrified of her," the Hatter stepped next to the Doctor, "But there's no one to turn to, because who's going to believe the things you see out of the corner of your eye?" she glanced at the Doctor, "No one. Except us".

"Who are you?" Trish breathed looking in-between the Doctor and the Hatter.

"We're help," the Doctor and the Hatter said in unison.

...

The Doctor lent against the counter top, swiping the jar of marmalade, unscrewed the top, and dipped his fingers in, before then sticking his fingers inside his mouth. Rose cleared her throat shaking her head as the Doctor looked over at her. The Hatter lent over, plucking the jar out of his hands and screwing the lid back on, giving the Doctor a look. The Doctor grinned sheepishly at Trish who was watching him.

"Those pictures, they're alive," Rose began, "She's drawing people and they end up in her pictures".

"Ionic energy," the Hatter explained, "Chloe's harnessing it to steal the kids and place them in sort of like a holding pen made out of ionic energy".

"And what about the dad from hell in her wardrobe?" Rose frowned.

"How many times do I have to tell you?" Trish said, frustrated, "He's dead!"

"Well, he's got a very loud voice for a dead bloke," Rose muttered.

"If living things can become drawings," the Doctor reasoned, "Then maybe drawings can become living things..." he shrived violently making the Hatter smile slightly, "Chloe's real dad is dead, but not the one who visits her in her nightmares. That dad seems very real. That's the dad she's drawn and he's a heartbeat away from crashing into this would..."

"She always got the worst of it when he was alive," Trish sighed sadly.

"How can a twelve-year-old girl be doing any of this?" Rose asked confused.

"Well, let's go to the girl in question," the Hatter said before walking out of the room with the others following behind her. When they walked into Chloe's bedroom they found her sitting on her bed. She looked up at them before holding up her hand and doing the 'live long and prosper' sing.

"Nice one," the Hatter smiled before kneeling in front of Chloe, holding her head in her hands, putting her fingers on Chloe's temples. Chloe's eyes rolled back in to her head before closing. The Hatter closed her own eyes before Chloe suddenly fell backwards on to her bed, the Hatter catching her before gently lying Chloe down, "There we go..."

"I can't let her do this..." Trish shook her head moving forward.

"Shh, it's alright," the Doctor put his hand on Trish's shoulder stopping her, "Trust her".

The Hatter straightened herself, "Ok, now time for a little chat I think".

"I want Chloe," Chloe's voice came out as a whisper but it was clear that the voices did not belong to Chloe, "Wake her up. I want Chloe".

"Who are you?" the Doctor asked standing next to the Hatter.

"I want Chloe Webber!" the voices demanded.

"What've you done to my little girl?" Trish demanded looking very upset.

"Doctor, what is it?" Rose asked looking at the Doctor.

"I'm speaking to you," the Doctor ordered, "The entity that is using this human child. I request parley in compliance with the Shadow Proclamation".

"I don't care about Shadows or parleys," Chloe said.

"What do you care about?" the Hatter asked gently, sitting next to Chloe.

"I want my friends".

"You're lonely," the Hatter nodded, "I know. I truly do but we can't help you if you don't identify yourself".

"I am one of many. I travel with my brothers and sisters. We travel an endless journey. A thousand of your lifetimes. But now I'm alone. I hate it. It's not fair. And I hate it!" Chloe's eyes snapped open.

"Name yourself!" the Doctor suddenly said making the Hatter jump slightly.

"Doctor, have you ever heard of softly, softly works best?" the Hatter shook her head, "Children responded very well with that," she turned back to Chloe, "But he is right. Name yourself".

"Isolus".

Both the Doctor and the Hatter's expressions cleared.

"You're Isolus," the Doctor nodded, "Of course..."

"Our journey began in the Deep Realms when we were a family," Chloe told them, drawing what looked like a flower on a sheet of paper next to her.

"What's that?" Trish asked, watching Chloe as she drew.

"The Isolus Mother, drifting in space," the Hatter smiled watching the beautiful picture being drawn; "Beautiful and I have seen some amazing things in my life. She jettisons millions of fledgling spores. Her children".

"The Isolus are empathic beings of intense emotions," the Doctor explained looking over to Trish and Rose, "But when they're cast off from their mother, their empathic link, their need for each other, is what sustains them".

"They need to be together," the Hatter added, "They cannot be alone. It's just that simple".

"Our journey is long," Chloe said.

"The Isolus children travel," the Hatter went on, stroking Chloe's hair, "Each inside a pod. They ride the heat and energy of solar tides. Together".

"It takes thousands and thousands of years for them to grow up," The Doctor added.

Trish raised her eyebrows at them as the Hatter looked over at them, "Sorry, old habits. You have no idea how many times my companies used to laugh about it when they thought I couldn't hear. Time Lady hearing. A blessing or a curse? Who knows?"

"Really?" the Doctor asked looking interested, "What did they say?"

"Well, I know that Max's used to mimic it with Alice," the Hatter said thoughtfully, "So did Katy and Sam. Michael also liked to make jokes about it but he stopped after I teased him about having a crush on April," She laughed a little before stopping herself, "I'm sorry it's just that Michael was head over heels in love with April. I don't think I have ever seen someone with a face that red before," she laughed again looking at the Doctor, "Well, you did look pretty red after you were dared to kiss me, Doctor by the Rani".

"What?" Rose asked a little too sharply as the Doctor turned bright red and the Hatter laughed harder, "When was this? What do you mean?"

"Oh, in school we were playing truth or dare and the Doctor picked dare," the Hatter laughed, "The Rani was always teasing us about being a couple, come to think about it just about everyone thought we were. Anyway the Rani had already dared him to serenade one of our teachers, run around the school shouting that he was a butterfly, brake into my father's offices and steel a file from his desk. Things like that. Anyway the Rani came up with the brillante idea that it would be fun to make the two of us kiss and it also made it even funnier that it was both our first kiss. I couldn't look the Doctor in the eye for three weeks".

"I couldn't look you in the eye for a month," the Doctor muttered bright red, "The Rani never let me forget it either".

"So, thousands of years just floating through space..." Rose cut in glaring at the Doctor and the Hatter, looking extremely upset but covering it up, "Don't they go mad with boredom?"

"We play," Chloe said.

"You...play?"

The Doctor moved and sat beside that Hatter as she stroked Chloe's hair.

"While they travel, they play games," the Doctor nodded, "They use their Ionic power to literally create make-believe worlds in which to play".

"In-flight entrainment," Rose remarked still glaring at the Hatter.

"Helps to keep them happy," the Hatter said, "While they're happy, they can feed off each other's love. Without it, they're lost".

"Why did you come to earth?" the Doctor asked.

"We were too close," Chloe ripped a piece of paper away, drawing an orange, circular shape on the fresh bit of paper.

"That's a solar flare from your sun," the Doctor said, "Would've made a tidal wave or solar energy that scattered the Isolus pods".

"Only I fell to Earth. My brothers and sisters are left up there. And I cannot reach them. So alone..."

"Your pod crashed...where is it?" the Hatter asked gently.

"My pod was drawn to heat...and I was drawn to Chloe Webber. She was like me. Alone. She needed me, and I her".

"You empathized with her," the Doctor nodded glancing at the Hatter, thinking about how lonely both their childhoods had been before they had met, "You wanted to be with her because she was alone like you".

"I want my family! It's not fair!"

"I understand," the Hatter said softly, "We both do. You want to make a family. But you can't stay in this child. It's wrong. You can't steal any more friends for yourself".

"I am alone".

Suddenly there was a thump from the wardrobe, causing Trish to gasp as the voices of her husband called, "I'm coming to hurt you!" Chloe started shaking and trembling but her face remained the same as it had all through there talk. The banging became louder, "I'm coming".

"Trish, how do you calm her?" the Doctor quickly asked.

"What?" Trish asked turning towards the bed.

"When she has nightmares," the Hatter said quickly, "What song do you sing to her?"

"I, um, Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree," Trish said rushing over to the bed as the Hatter waved her over.

"Chloe...I'm coming!" Chloe's dad shouted.

"Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree; merry, merry king of the bush is he..." Trish and the Hatter sang together as Trish took over stroking Chloe's hair.

"Chloe..." Chloe's father called, as the banging continued, "Chloe..."

"Laugh, Kookaburra laugh," Trish and the Hatter sang as Trish tried to sooth Chloe, "Kookaburra, gay your life must be," the banging slowly started to fade, "Laugh, Kookaburra laugh, Kookaburra, gay your life must be," Chloe slowly fell asleep as the Hatter stopped sing, moving away from the bed as Trish looked down at Chloe with tears in her eyes, "It came to her because she was lonely...Chloe, I'm sorry..."

Trish buried her head in her daughters shoulder, hugging her as she cried.

...

Trish walked all around the living room, picking up pencils that were lying around as the Doctor, Rose, and the Hatter followed.

"Chloe usually got the brunt of his temper," Trish sighed, "When he'd had a drink. The day he crashed the car, I thought we were free," she turned as Rose passed her some more pencils, "I thought it was over".

"Did you talk about it?" Rose asked, sitting down on the sofa as the Doctor and the Hatter by the wall.

"You didn't want to," the Hatter said as Trish nodded and the Doctor frowned at the Hatter but she ignored him, "You didn't want to think about it. Put him in the past. Too bad the past has a way of catching up with you when you least expect it".

"But...maybe that's way Chloe feels so alone," Rose suggested, "'Cos she has all these terrible dreams about her dad, but she can't talk to you about them".

"Her and the Isolus..." the Doctor glances at the Hatter, "Two lonely kids who need each other".

"Where do I know that story from?" the Hatter pretend to look thoughtful, "Oh wait...our own childhood".

"And it won't stop, will it?" Rose asked the Doctor, looking straight through the Hatter as if she wasn't there, "It'll just keep pulling kids in".

"It's desperate to be loved," the Doctor nodded, "It's used to a pretty big family".

"How big?" Rose asked.

"Around about four billion," the Hatter said before shrugging, "Give or take a million".

Trish and Rose looked at them, stunned.

...

"We need that pod," the Doctor said as he shrugged his coat on as they walked down the street back towards the TARDIS.

"It crashed, won't it be destroyed?"Rose asked, frowning.

"It's been sucking in all the heat it can..." the Hatter said, "Hopefully that should keep it in a fit state to launch. It must be close. It should have a weak energy signature that the TARDIS can trace".

"Once we find it, then we can stop the Isolus," the Doctor nodded as they rounded the corner to where the TARDIS sat, "We can scan for the same trace we picked up from the scribble creature," he pulled out his key, "Just have to widen the field a bit," he opened the door and walked in followed by Rose and the Hatter.

...

"You knew the Isolus was lonely before it told you," Rose said as the Doctor fumbled with the device he and the Hatter where putting together, "How?"

The Doctor shoved Rose off the consol chair she was sitting on before sitting down himself, "I know what it's like to travel a long way on your own. Give me the stina magnetic er..." he looked over to the Hatter.

"The thing in your left hand," the Hatter said without looking up, "When this is all over Doctor I'm giving you a test".

Rose passed the thing in her left hand to the Doctor as she chewed her gum, "Sounds like you're on its side".

"I sympathize, that's all," the Doctor shrugged as he slotted the object into the device.

"The Isolus has caused a lot of pain for these people," Rose frowned.

"It's a child!" the Doctor defended as he passed the Hatter the device, "That's why it went to Chloe, two lonely mixed up kids..." he glanced at the Hatter who was blowing on the device before adding a part she had been working on, "Remained you of anyone, Hatter?"

"Sorry haven't got a clue who you're talking about," the Hatter shot him a smile passing the device back to him, "Oh, hang on now this is just a guesses...could it be us?"

"Hmm...Feels to me like a temper tantrum because it can't get its own way," Rose cut in.

"It's scared!" the Doctor rolled his eyes as the Hatter nodded in agreement, "Come on, you were a kid once," he looked at her before looking at the Hatter.

"It starts with a B and ends with a dot, Doctor," the Hatter shook her head.

"Binary dot," the Doctor nodded to Rose who handed it to him on her finger.

"Yes!" Rose nodded, "And I know what kids can be like. Right little...terrors".

"Gum," the Doctor held out his hand as Rose spat her gum into his hand.

"You do relies that we have glue for that, right?" the Hatter said looking slightly disgusted before shaking her head, "Of course you do. Sorry I forgot who I was talking to".

"I've got cousins," Rose went on, "Kids can't have it all their own way. That's part of being a family".

"What about trying to understand them?" the Doctor said sticking the gum into the device as the Hatter made a face.

"Easy for you to say," Rose turned away with a light smile, "You don't have kids".

"I was a dad once," the Doctor said offhand as the Hatter smiled.

"And grandchildren," the Hatter smiled, "Susan used to call me Aunty Hatter. Of course everyone else hated it but I can still remember how thrilled you were when she first called me that".

"Well, your grandson used to call me Uncle Doctor," the Doctor shrugged not noticing the Look on Rose's face, "Plus Susan loved you".

"What did you just say?" Rose asked turning to him.

"I think we're there!" the Doctor said tossing the device up, not noticing Rose's face, "Fear. Loneliness. They're the big ones, Rose. Some of the most terrible acts ever committed have been inspired by them. We're not dealing with something that wants to conquer or destroy".

"Don't forget love, Doctor," the Hatter added as he pulled a lever and pushed a button or two.

"There's a lot of things you need to get across this Universe," the Doctor carried on talking as Rose stared at him still shocked, "Warp drive...wormhole refractors..." Rose held out her hand, pointing to something on the computer screen, "You know the thing you need most of all? You need a hand to hold," he took Rose's outstretched hand before taking the Hatter's hand, grinning.

"Not that Rose and I don't like holding your hand Doctor but Rose was pointing," the Hatter smiled, covering her laugh up as she saw the Doctor's blush.

The Doctor scratched the back of his head and looking at the computer screen to see a flashing white light on a map of the street, "It's the pod! It is in the street! Everything's coming up, Doctor!"

He ran off towards the door as the Hatter started to follow only for Rose to stop her.

"What do you mean, Grandchildren?" Rose breathed shaking her head, "He was a grandad? He was a...father?" the Hatter watched as Rose took another breath, "Tell me everything".

"Rose," the Hatter sighed, "It's in the past. Do you really need to be bringing up ancient history? I did my grieving when the war started. The Doctor's still in the middle of his. The fact that he even mentioned it to you only now shows that".

"Please, I need to know," Rose said, "And would you rather me asking him this?"

"No, that would just make it harder," the Hatter shook her head, sitting on the consol chair, "The Doctor married my cousin shortly after my own marriage. He didn't want to but like me was forced by his parents to marry her. My cousin had met him at my graduation party a few weeks before their wedding and had a crush on him," she rolled her eyes, "How you can have a crush on someone after only saying five words with each other I have no idea but my cousin did. She went to her father and asked for some sort of deal to be made so that they could one day marry. A few days later both my family and the Doctors family agreed that they were a suitable match with each other and they were marred a week later," the Hatter shook her head sadly, "The Doctor was so different after that. Even after they had their first child he didn't seem like the same man. He become grumpy. It was only after Susan was born that he started acting more like his old self".

"And Susan is...his daughter?" Rose asked frowning.

"His granddaughter," the Hatter smiled, "She was the first person to ever travel with him. They both begged me to come with them but I didn't think it was the right time to leave. Susan ended up marring a young human man and leaving the Doctor," she paused for a moment, laughing, "Well when I say that she left him I really mean that the Doctor locked her out and took off without her".

"Oi!" the Doctor's head suddenly pocked around the corner of the TARDIS's doors, "I'm being brillante out here and there's no one to see it. You two coming or what?"

"Sorry Doctor," the Hatter rolled her eyes, "We didn't relies that you wanted to show off in front of us. Next time we'll be sure not to misses that wonderful sight".

Rose and the Hatter walked over to the door, stepping out into the street, the Doctor shutting the door behind them.

"Okay, it's about two inches across," the Doctor explained to Rose, "Dull grey, like a gull's egg. Very light".

"So these pods...they travel from sun to sun using heat, yeah?" Rose asked, "So it's not all about love and stuff. Doesn't the pod just need heat?"

Suddenly from behind Rose and the Hatter was a crash. They both turned to see the device the Doctor had been carrying smashed on the ground, the Doctor and the TARDIS gone.

"Chloe," the Hatter groaned before both her and Rose started running down the street.

...

Rose knocked frantically on Trish's door until it was opened. Rose barged past Trish with the Hatter close behind her, bounding up stairs to Chloe's bedroom.

"It's okay!" Trish called, following after them, "I've taken all the pencils off her!"

"You would think so but kids can be brillante hiders," the Hatter said over her shoulder as they burst into Chloe's bedroom, Rose crossing to the desk were Chloe had just finished a drawing, swiping the drawing away to find the Doctor and the TARDIS had been drawn.

"Leave me alone!" the Isolus shouted through Chloe, "I want to be with Chloe Webber! I love Chloe Webber!"

"Bring him back, now!" Rose ordered as the Hatter took the picture of the Doctor.

"No".

Rose turned away, her head in her hands before spinning and grabbing Chloe's shoulders, "Don't you realize what you've done? He was only trying to help you, now bring him back!"

"Rose," the Hatter began to say only to be cut off.

"Leave me alone! I love Chloe Webber!"

"It's alright," the Hatter said gently, kneeling in front of Chloe, "I understand. You and Chloe understand each other. She's like one of your sisters. But the Doctor and I are like that. We have been best friends with each other senses we were twenty. I need him just as much as you need Chloe. Taking him away from me was as if someone had taken Chloe away from you. It hurts. Now I will find your pod but I just what you to think that over".

The Hatter stood back up, turning towards Rose who was staring at the Hatter as if she had never seen her before, "We need to find the pod," Rose shook herself and nodded, "We find that, and the Isolus gets to go home, come on".

"Don't leave her alone," Rose told Trish as she followed the Hatter out of the room, "No matter what".

"Heat," the Hatter mutated looking around the street as Rose joined her, "They travail by heat...I wonder if they had some sort of open fire or..."

"Look at this finish!" the road worker from earlier cheered, "Smooth as a baby's bottom," Rose ran over to the man with the Hatter following close behind, "Not a bump or a lump".

"Kal," Rose crouched across from him as the Hatter frowned at the groaned that Kal was patting, "Was there anything in this street in the past few days giving off a lot of heat?"

"I mean, you could eat your dinner off this," Kal smiled as the Hatter crouched down and started running her hands over the ground, "Beautiful. So you tell me why the other one's got a lump in it when I gave it the same level and craftsmanship I did this one!"

"I think I have a pretty good idea why," the Hatter mutated under her breath as she looked around for something to dig the tar up.

"Well, when you've worked it out," Rose said, "Put it in a big book about tarmacking, but before you do that, think back six days..."

"Six day...when I was laying this the first time round!"

"What?" Rose asked as the Hatter nodded.

"As I thought," the Hatter said.

"Well, that's when I filled in this pothole for the first time," Kel said.

"Hot fresh tar..." Rose said looking at the Hatter as the Hatter nodded.

"I have an idea," the Hatter told her quietly so Kel wouldn't hear.

"Blended to a secret council recipe," Kel smiled as the Hatter ran over to his van with Rose following, "Ah...ah! I don't keep it in the van!" the Hatter through open the back doors before hopping in the back, "Ay, that's a council van. Out!"

A moment later the Hatter reappeared, carrying an axe and laughing, "Goodness douse this bring back memories".

"Whoa, wait, wait, wait, you just removed a council axe from a council van," Kel shook his head at the Hatter who walked past him, "Put it back," she lifted the axes in the air, "No don't, wait...put the axes back in the van, that's my van, gimme the axe," the Hatter swung the axe, "No! Wait! No!" bring the axe down into the road, laughing the whole time.

"No! You...stop!" Kel shouted as the Hatter hit the ground a few more times, "You just took a council axe...from a council van...and now you're digging up a council road! I'm reporting you to the council!"

"Go ahead," the Hatter grinned as she started digging through the pieces of rubble, looking for the pod, "How many people do you know that are called 'the Hatter'?" she quickly stood up holding the pod in her hand, "It went for the hottest thing in the street. Your tar".

"What is it?" Kel frowned as the Hatter kissed the pod before running off.

"It's a spaceship," Rose smiled just as happy as the Hatter to have found the pod, "Not a council spaceship, I'm afraid," she patted him on his shoulder before running after the Hatter back to Trish's house.

"We found it!" Rose shouted as she ran inside Trish's house, "What happens now? Does the Isolus just hop on board or..." she trailed off as she followed were the Hatter was looking, only to find Trish standing in the living room next to the television, "Hang on, I told you not to leave her!"

"We have bigger things to worry about right now," the Hatter sighed staring at the TV screen.

"My God," the commentator was saying on the TV, "Er...what's going on here?"

"I don't care if you've got Snow White and the Seven Dwarves buried under there," Kel was carrying on about as he walked into the living room, "You don't go digging up-"

"Shut up and look!" Rose shushed him pointing at the screen.

"The crowd has vanished! Er...um...they're gone. Everyone has gone. Thousands of people have just gone. Er...um...right in front of my eyes. Um...It's impossible! Bob, can we join you, um, in the box?" silence, "Bob? Not you too, Bob?"

"The stadium won't be enough," the Hatter shook her head, "The Isolus has four billion brothers and sisters".

The Hatter took her hat off, running her hands through her hair before standing up and making her way up to Chloe's room with Rose, Kel, and Trish just behind her. Rose carrying the axes which the Hatter had dropped in the street.

"Chloe?" Trish called as they tried to open her door.

"Chloe, its The Hatter and Rose," the Hatter shouted through the door, "Please open the door! We found your ship! We can send you home!"

"Chloe?" Trish cried.

"Open up!" Rose shouted, but still no answer, "Right, stand back," she motioned for them to stand back before lifting the axe, and smashing the door down. As soon as she had made a big enough hole, she reached through finding a chair blocking the path; she pushed the chair away and opened the door.

"I'm coming to hurt you..." Chloe's father was shouting from the wardrobe as they ran in. Chloe was in the middle of drawing the outline of the world, "I'm coming..."

"We've gotta stop her," Rose said moving forward but the Hatter stopped her.

"If you stop Chloe Webber, I will let him out," the Isolus warned, "We will let him out together".

"You know where I come from, Isolus," the Hatter said, "You know what I'm capable. You Know what my people where like. Do you really think that's wise?" the Isolus didn't answer so the Hatter stepped forward, "fine then," she tuned and faced the wardrobe and...Said something in the most beautiful language anyone in the room had ever heard. As the Hatter stoped speaking the wardrobe stopped shacking.

"What did you do?" Rose breathed.

"I simply told it who I was," the Hatter shrugged, "My people at the height of their power were well known all over the galaxy. Many races were scared of us. Also I'm well known. The Doctor and I are known throughout time and space for saving people, stopping wars, saving planets, stuff like that," she turned and looked at Rose, "Anyway, you need to get the pod to the torch".

Rose frowned as she took the pod from the Hatter, "What do you mean?"

"The pod needs to be charged," the Hatter sighed, "It needs love. The torch represents love. All you have to do is chuck the pod into the flames and the Isolus we take over from there".

"Why can't you do it?" Rose asked.

"Because I have to stay here," The Hatter sighed, "It's too hard to explain now, just go. Now!"

Rose nodded and ran out of the door with Kel, as the Hatter went back to watching the wardrobe. Chloe had almost finished colouring in the Earth when she suddenly stopped, "I can go home. Goodbye, Chloe Webber. I love you".

The Hatter watched as Chloe's rolled into the back of her head as the tine Isolus floated out of her mouth, zooming through the window. Chloe blinked a few time's and looked over to Trish as if she had just awaken up from a dream, "Mum?"

"I'm here," Trish smiled looking as if she was about to cry.

"Mummy!" Chloe cried, dropping the pencil she was holding and running into Trish's arms with the Hatter smiling before glancing back to the wardrobe, waiting for the picture of Chloe's dad to come to life but nothing happened.

Trish and Chloe started walking down stairs with the Hatter. The Hatter kept on glancing over her shoulder but nothing seemed to happen. They were half way down the stairs when the front door that Rose had left open slammed shut. Trish tried to open it but it wouldn't budge. All of the doors and windows around them also slammed shut.

"What's going on?" Trish breathed looking at the Hatter as she pulled out her sonic, trying to open the doors.

"Dead lock sealed," the Hatter muttered, "I really need to work on that".

"Trish, get out!" Rose shouted, slamming against the door from the outside.

"I can't!" Trish shouted, "The door's stuck!"

"Is the Doctor in there?" Rose shouted.

"He's at the park!" the Hatter shouted through the door, "With the TARDIS! Everything that was a drawing will reappear from where they disappeared! That's why where in so much trouble!"

"Mummy..." Chloe breathed, frightened, as dust started shacking from the ceiling along with the sounds of heavy footsteps. A red light appeared at the top of the stairs.

"Chloe, I'm coming to hurt you..." Chloe's dad called as the footsteps become louder.

"Trish, Chloe listen to me," the Hatter said turning them both to face her, "This is all just a nightmare. All you have to do is sing! Kookaburra sit's in the old gum tree!" the Hatter sang and slowly both Trish and Chloe also started, "Marry, merry King of the bush is he..."

"Chloe...Chloe...Chloe..." Chloe's father shouted getting weaker with every word that they sang.

"Laugh, Kookaburra laugh..." Trish gently squizzed Chloe's hand, "...Kookaburra, gay your life must be".

Slowly the light started to fade, so did Chloe's father's voice, "Laugh, Kookaburra laugh, kookaburra, gay your life must be".

The Hatter smiled and stopped singing, as Trish and Chloe started singing louder, "Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree," Trish and Chloe laughed, "Merry, merry King of the bush is he...laugh, Kookaburra laugh, Kookaburra, gay your life must be!"

"I love music," the Hatter laughed as the light completely disappeared.

...

"Just look at this!" the TV commentator shouted as Trish, Rose, Chloe, and the Hatter watched television, "Utterly incredible scenes at the Olympics stadium, eighty thousand athletes and spectators, they disappeared, they've come back! They've returned. They've reappeared. It's quite incredible. Bob, this will certainly..."

"Eighty thousand people, so where's the Doctor..." Rose sighed, looking over to the Hatter who was watching the TV with a smile, "Why isn't he back yet?"

"Just watch," the Hatter smiled.

"The Torch Bearer seems to be in a bit of trouble," the commentator announced, "We did see a flash of lightening earlier which seems to strike him...er, maybe he's injured...he's definitely in trouble..." they watched as the Torch Beater collapsed.

"Any seconded now," the Hatter grinned.

"Does this mean that the Olympic dream is dead?" the commentator asked when suddenly there was a pair of brown clad arms scooping the Torch up.

"Doctor..." Rose breathed, smiling and the Hatter laughed.

"He never could resite showing off," the Hatter shook her head fondly as the Doctor started running with the Torch alongside the cheering crowd, "He's never going to let me forget this".

"There's a mystery man, he's picked up the flame..." the commentator continued, "We've no idea who he is...er...he's carrying the flame, yes! He's carrying the flame and no one wants to stop him!" Trish, Chloe, and Rose laughed as the Hatter smiled, "It's more than a flame now, Bob. It's more than heat and light. It's hope. And it's courage. And it's love".

The Doctor ran up some red carpeted stairs with the Torch, the spotlight following him all the way. He turned to face the crowed, a huge grin on his face as he whooped before lighting the Olympic flame. The crowd cheered and screamed, unnoticed to everyone but the Hatter and the Doctor the extra flame that shot into the night sky.

...

The Doctor walked down the street, hands in his pockets, looking for Rose and the Hatter, when Rose crept up behind him with a cupcake in her hand, "Cake?" she called, holding up the cake decorated with edible ball bearings as he turned around.

"Top banana!" the Doctor laughed, taking a bit as Rose grinned, "Mm. I can't streets this enough. Ball bearings you can eat, masterpiece!" he's grin only grew wider as the Hatter walked out of Trish hours, skipping over to them, "Hatter!" he gave her a huge hug, lifting her off the ground before placing her back down.

"Wow, nice to see you to, Doctor," the Hatter laughed, shaking her head, "Enjoying the cupcake I made you?"

"You made this?" the Doctor asked surprised.

"Yep," the Hatter smiled, "I would have made it banana but Trish didn't have any bananas".

"Come on!" the Doctor grinned taking the Hatter's hand as he ate the cupcake with his other.

"What now?" Rose asked.

"I wanna go to the games!" the Doctor grinned, "What we came for!"

"Go on, give us a clue, which events do we do well in?" Rose asked as they walked down the street.

"Well, I can't give it all away..." the Hatter smiled, "Papua New Guinea surprises everyone in the shot put".

"...really?" Rose asked looking shocked turning to the Doctor, "Doctor, is she serious or is she joking?"

"Wait and see," the Doctor teased as fireworks exploded overhead.

"You know what," Rose commented staring up at the fireworks talking to the Doctor, "They keep on trying to split us up, but they never ever will".

"Never say never ever," the Doctor told her coming to a stop.

"Nah," Rose shook her head, confidently, "We'll always be okay, you and me," she frowned slightly when she didn't get a reply, "Don't you reckon, Doctor?"

"Something in the air...something coming..." the Hatter said frowning up at the night sky.

"What?" Rose asked.

"A storm's approaching," the Doctor said quietly.

...

"Hatter, can I come in?" the Doctor called through the Hatter's bedroom door. Rose had gone to bed only a few minutes ago and the Hatter had already gone to her room when they got back from watching the games. A moment later the door was open by the Hatter.

"Why am I not surprised?" the Hatter sighed stepping to the side to let him in, "I know why your here".

"And?" the Doctor asked as he sat himself down on her sofa.

"No," the Hatter shook her head, crossing her arms across her chest, still standing, "I'm not talking about it. I have kept it a secret for over seven hundred years I am not about to tell you now".

"You told Susan," the Doctor frowned, "And she was still in school".

"I didn't want to," the Hatter sighed uncrossing her arms and sitting next to the Doctor, "She saw the bruises on my wrist. Didn't believe me when I told her that I tripped and my husband grabbed my wrist to stop me from falling. She was always too much like you".

"Why didn't you ever tell me?"

"He threatened to hurt my children if I breathed a word about it," the Hatter took her hat off and put her head in her hands, "Susan begged me to tell you. Every time she visited me she would ask me to. Believe me I so wanted to but I know that when he said that he would hurt my children, he meant it".

"Why didn't you tell me after you left?" the Doctor asked squizzing the Hatter's hand, "All of the time's we ran into each other. When we were suck working for UNIT in the seventies. When you crashed your TARDIS into mine and had to travel with me, Sarah, and Harry Sullivan until you fixed yours and all of the other times".

The Hatter looked up from her hands with tears in her eyes, "The less I thought about it the better. If I pushed it to the side then it was easier and telling you would have been like admitting that is had happened at all. Plus you would just have blamed yourself for not watching me more closely".

"Your right about that last part," the Doctor nodded, "I should have been watching more closely".

"Don't you dare," the Hatter said standing up and moving away from the Doctor, "You had your own life. Your own marriage to worry about. You had all of your planes of running away to make and I was not going to get in the way of that because I knew how much you wanted to see the stars. So, don't you dare blame yourself for my marriage".

"Hatter," the Doctor stood up and pulled her in for a hug as she looked as if she was about to cry, "You can be an idiot sometimes," the Hatter gave a little laugh at that making the Doctor smile, "You never told me, how did you get a divorce in the first place?"

"My mother saw a bruises on my cheek when she visited me out of the blue," the Hatter wiped her eyes taking a step away from the Doctor, "Next thing I knew I was crying my eyes out admitting to her everything. My father found out and told the Lord President about it and within the day I was free. My children refused to believe that there father could do such a thing and turned their backs on me. They never talked to me after that. My parents forced me to move back in with them and I did for three months. I just couldn't take my mother treating me like a child so I stole my family's TARDIS and ran off".

"That sounds more like the Hatter that I know," the Doctor smiled before going over to the Hatter's old radio that she had just because she liked the design of it, turning it on and holding out his hand to the Hatter, "Will you do me the honour of a dance, Dame Hatter?"

The Hatter rolled her eyes but couldn't stop herself from smiling, "I haven't danced in years, Doctor. Anyway I don't think I can even remember how to".

"Come on," the Doctor grinned, "If I seem to remember correctly you were the one to teach me how to dance".

"We taught each other how to," the Hatter corrected, "And we were in school".

"Pretty please," the Doctor smiled step closer to the Hatter with his hand still out, "Just one dance and then I will let you kick me out".

"I could never kick you out of my room in school, I don't think I have much of a chance now," the Hatter smiled tacking his hand and being spun by the Doctor, "Why did you do that anyway?"

"Do what?"

"Sneak in to my room in the dead of night only to fall asleep on my floor," the Hatter said.

"I always slept better when I was in your room," the Doctor shrugged as the danced around the Hatter's bedroom, Laughing, talking, smiling, spinning each other around, or just enjoying being with each other.

_**Long, long, long chapter, 8,439 words I think it's the longest chapter yet. So now you know why the Hatter acted the way she did with Mr. Connelly. I hope you liked it; any questions go ahead and ask, please review :)**_


	19. Chapter 19 Army of ghost's part 1

_**Army of ghost's part 1**_

The TARDIS materialized in a playground in London, close to Powell Estate. Rose stepped out, carrying a large, red rucksack which she had slung over her back as the Hatter and the Doctor stepped out just behind her. Rose smiled at the Doctor before they started walking off towards the flats, Rose and the Hatter on either side of the Doctor.

"Mum, it's us!" Rose had practically run up the stairs when they had reached the flats, "We're back!"

Rose opened the door to see her mother waiting there, "Oh, I don't know why you bother with that phone!" Jackie cried, "You never use it!"

"Shut up, come here!" Rose ginned as she pulled Jackie into a hug.

"Oh, I love you!" Jackie smiled hugging Rose, tightly.

"I love you!" Rose hugged Jackie just as tightly as Jackie was to her.

"I love you so MUCH!" Jackie cried, as the Doctor started trying to get past them but Jackie stopped him, "Oh no you don't!" Jackie grabbed him as the Hatter smiled at his face, "Come here!" Jackie pulled him towards her and kissed him much to the Hatter's amusement and the Doctors protest, "Oh, you lovely big fella! Oh, you're all mine!"

"Just...just...just put me down!" the Doctor tried to speak over her as the Hatter held her sides as she laughed.

"Yes, you are!" Jackie continued, kissing him before walking off.

"I think you have a bit of saliva there, Doctor," the Hatter giggled, pulling a packet of tissues out of her pocket and wiping the Doctor's face with it, "Oh, stop pouting I got it all off...I think".

The Doctor shook his head, linking an arm through the Hatters before going into the living room.

"I've got LOADS of washing for ya!" Rose said, dumping the bag into Jackie's arms, "And...I got you this!" she pulled out a tiny, ornate bottle with a grin as the Doctor and the Hatter sat down on the sofa, "It's from the market on this asteroid bazaar. It's made of um..." she turned to the Doctor who was looking through a magazines on the coffee table while the Hatter played with her yo-yo, "What's it called?"

"Bezoolium," the Doctor and the Hatter said in unison.

"Bezoolium," Rose nodded turning back to Jackie, "When it gets cold, yeah, it means it's gonna rain, when it's hot, it's gonna be sunny! You can use it to tell the weather!"

"I've got a surprise for you and all," Jackie nodded as if she hadn't heard Rose.

"Oh, I get her a bezoolium, she doesn't even say 'thanks'," Rose mutated.

"Guess who's coming to visit?" Jackie smiled, "You're just in time, he'll be here at ten past! Who do you think it is?"

"I don't know," Rose said shaking her head.

"Oh, go on guess!"

"No, I hate guessing," Rose said, "Just tell me".

"It's your grandad!" Jackie exclaimed sounding thrilled, "Grandad Prentice. He's on his way. Any minute!" Rose stared at her and the Doctor and the Hatter glanced at each other, "Right, cup of tea!"

Jackie turned and walked off, leaving Rose staring after her. The Doctor and the Hatter got up and walked over to her, "She's gone mad," Rose breathed.

"Tell me something new," the Doctor muttered as the Hatter nudged him.

"Grandad Prentice, that's her dad," Rose explained, "But he died like, ten years ago. Oh my God. She's lost it. Mum?" she walked after Jackie as the Doctor and the Hatter looked at each other before following, "What you just said about grandad..." Rose began as she walked into the kitchen.

"Any second now," Jackie turned around and looked at Rose.

"But...he passed away," Rose frowned, "His heart gave out. Do you remember that?"

"Course I do!"

"...Then how can he come back?"

"Why don't you ask him yourself?" Jackie looked at her watch, "Ten past. Here he comes," slowly a figure of a person appeared right in front of them. It didn't have any featureless, like a shadow. It walked over and stopped next to Jackie.

"Here we are, then!" Jackie grinned, "Dad...say hello to Rose. Ain't she grown?"

"What in the name of..." the Hatter trailed off staring at the figure before shaking her head and running out of the apartment with Rose and the Doctor behind her. They stopped when they caught sight of what was all around them.

"They're everywhere!" the Doctor breathed shaking his head in disbelief as the Hatter looked around. The 'ghosts' were standing around everywhere. They were standing next to people who were just walking and a group of boys who just carried on playing there game as if a bunch of ghost like figures happened every day.

Rose spun around, looking at something behind the Doctor and the Hatter, "Doctor, look out!"

The Doctor reached out and grabbed the Hatter as they both spun around, right as a ghost walked through them. The Doctor squirmed but still kept an arm around the Hatter. The Hatter shrived into the Doctor because of the uncomfortable feeling.

"They haven't got long," Jackie called to them as she joined them, "Midday shift only lasts a couple of minutes. They're about to fade".

"What do you mean, SHIFT?" the Hatter asked shaking her head, stepping away from the Doctor, "Since when did ghost have shifts? Since when did shifts have ghosts? What's going on?" she turned to the Doctor, "Please tell me that this is just a dream and that I'm about to wake up and find that I have fallen asleep in the middle of reading a book".

"Oh, she's not happy when I know more than her, is she?" Jackie said sounding smug.

"But no one's running or screaming or freaking out or..." the Doctor shook his head looking at the Hatter, "Please tell me that I'm dreaming".

"Why should we?" Jackie asked before checking her watch, "Here we go. Twelve minutes past".

Jackie smiled at Rose as they watch the ghost disappear as if they had never been there. The Doctor and the Hatter stared around, baffled.

...

The Doctor and the Hatter sat on the floor in front of the television, watching a program about Ghostwatch. Rose had perched herself on the arm of the sofa while Jackie sat next to her.

"On today's _Ghostwatch_," the program was saying, "Claims that some of the ghosts are starting to talk, and there seems to be regular formation gathering around Westminster Bridge," it cut to some footage of ghost standing around the bridge, "It's almost like a military display..."

"Not almost I think we'll find that it is," the Hatter groaned, "Is it just me or was it when that 'ghost' walked through us that there was a funny sort of metal taste in the air?"

"What the hell's going on?" the Doctor breathed as he changed the channel to what seemed to be a weather report but, instead of weather symbols, there were little pictures of ghosts.

"And tonight we're expecting very strong ghost," the weatherman reported as the Hatter coved her laugh with a cough at seeing the Casper the friendly ghost symbols, "From London, through the North and up into Scotland..."

The Doctor changed the channel on to the Trisha Goddard chat show, a small caption reading, 'I married a dead man!' at the bottom of the screen.

"So basically, Eileen," Trisha was saying, "What you're telling me is that you are in love with a ghost".

"You have got to be kidding me," the Hatter shook her head as the camera showed a woman, Eileen, sitting in front of a studio with a ghost just behind her chair.

"He's MY ghost and I love him, 24/7!" Eileen said, tearfully, making the audience applause as the Doctor changed the channel.

"Well, no one needs me anymore!" Derek Acorah was shouting at someone.

The Doctor changed the channel again to a woman dressed in an apron, talking to the camera as an animated ghost hovered over her shoulder, "My ghost was pale and grey until I discovered...Ectoshine!"

"Now I remember why I never watched day time television when I was a human," the Hatter mutated before leaning over and taking the sonic from the Doctor and flashing it at the screen to change the channel, "I can feel my IQ dropping a few levels".

"Your IQ could drop one hundred levels and you would still be smarter than me," the Doctor shot the Hatter a smile as she rolled her eyes.

"I give up arguing with you about this," the Hatter shook her head, "Just because I did better in school, learnt how to drive a TARDIS on my first try, was rewarded the title, Dame Hatter because I invented a machine that could make it so that different incarnations of the same person could be brought together for whatever reason and not make a paradox as long as they were careful about what they did, does not make me any smarter then you, Doctor".

Everyone looked at her and the Doctor smirked slightly, "Well, when you say it like that..."

"Oh, shut up," the Hatter mutated turning back to the TV.

The channel changed to a French news station, which also showed footage of ghosts walking around the Eiffel Tower. More ghosts walking around the Taj Mahal was shown on an Indian news station. Another station showed a Japanese newsreader, with three Japanese teenage girls all screeching and showing off their ghost shirts with a little picture of ghost on the front.

"Maybe I should get a shirt like that," the Hatter said thoughtfully looking down at her smiley face shirt before shaking her head, "Sorry not the time".

"It's all over the world," the Doctor rubbed his face before switching channels.

"Listen to me, Denn Watts," Peggy Mitchell of Eastenders was saying as she stood behind a bar, "I don't care if you HAVE come back from the grave. Get out of my pub! The only spirits I'm serving in this place are gin, whisky, and vodka. So, you heard me, GET OUT!"

"When did it start?" the Doctor asked turning the TV off and turning to Jackie.

"Well first of all, Peggy heard this noise in the cellar, so she goes down..." Jackie began.

"Sorry, he meant worldwide," the Hatter cut in giving Jackie a smile.

"Oh!" Jackie nodded, "That was about two months ago. Just happened. Wake up one morning, and there they all were, ghost everywhere. We all ran round screaming and that; whole planet was panicking...no sign of YOU two, thank you very much..."

"Sorry," the Hatter held up her hand giving Jackie a sheepish smile, "My fault. I tripped over the Doctor's legs and put my hand out to stop myself from falling only to put my hand on the wrong button. Don't worry everything's good now. The TARDIS is upset with the Doctor and I but she can never stay angry with me. She has a soft spot for Time Lady's".

Jackie shook her head, "Well then it sake in. Took us time to realize that...we're lucky".

"What makes you think its granddad?" Rose asked.

"Just feels like him," Jackie smiled, "There's that smell, those old cigarettes. Can't you smell it?"

"I wish I could, mum, but I can't" Rose shook her head.

"You've got to make an effort. You've got to want it, sweetheart".

"The more you want it, the stronger it gets?" the Hatter guessed.

"Sort of, yeah," Jackie nodded.

"Like a psychic link," the Hatter nodded, "Of course you want your old dad to be alive but you're wishing him into existence. The ghosts are using that to pull themselves in".

"You're spoiling it," Jackie warned close to glaring at the Hatter.

"I'm sorry, Jackie, I truly am," the Hatter said sadly, "But there's no smell, there's no cigarettes. Just a memory".

"But if they're not ghosts, what are they, then?" Rose asked the Doctor.

"Yeah, but they're human!" Jackie exclaimed, "You can see them...they LOOK human!"

"She's got a point," Rose said, "I mean; they're all sort of blurred, but they're definitely people".

"I'm sorry but they are as human as I am," the Hatter shook her head, "Whatever they are, are powerful. They're pressing themselves into the surface of the world. But a footprint doesn't look like a boot".

...

Rose walked into the TARDIS, holding a newspaper, walking over to the Hatter who was sitting on the floor next some grating that had been lifted up which led under the consol.

"According to the paper, they've elected a ghost as MP for Leeds," Rose peered down the grating as the Hatter stood up, "Now don't tell me you're gonna sit back and do nothing".

The Doctor popped up from underneath the grilling, holding an odd device in his hand and wearing a rucksack on his back, "Who're you gonna call?" he imitated Scooby Doo.

"Ghostbusters!" Both Rose and the Hatter laughed.

"I ain't afraid of no ghosts," the Doctor said, mimicking Scooby Doo again before tossing the device to the Hatter and walking out. Rose following slightly put out that the Doctor didn't get her to help.

Outside the Doctor and the Hatter arranged three cone-like devices in a triangle. The Hatter stepped back, making triangle with her fingers to make sure that they were in line with each other, Jackie and Rose watching on.

"When's the next shift?" the Doctor asked looking up to Jackie.

"Quarter to," Jackie looked at her watch, "But don't go causing trouble. What's that lot do?"

"Triangulates their point of origin," the Hatter said shifting one of the cones to one side slightly.

"I don't suppose it's the Gelth?" Rose asked the Doctor.

"Nah," the Doctor waved her off, "They were just coming through one little rift. This lot are transposing themselves over the while planet. Like tracing paper".

"You're always doing this," Jackie frowned getting crosses, "Reducing it to science. Why can't it be real?" the Doctor ignored her while the Hatter listened, "Just think of it, though...all the people we've lost, our families coming back home. Don't you think it's beautiful?"

The Doctor paused with what he was doing and looked at Jackie, "I think it's horrific".

Jackie looked at him shocked.

"I think that it is beautiful," the Hatter said making everyone look at her, "It shows how human you are but I can see the dark side to it. Whatever the 'ghosts' are they're bad news and we need to find out what they are. Don't you think Jackie that it's better to know what you have walking around in your house then to wake up in a week time to find half the planet destroyed? Now do you understand why were, doing this? These 'ghost' didn't just turn up by them self's. They got her somehow and we need to find out how".

Jackie took a moment to think over what the Hatter had just said before nodding, "Your better at explaining things then he is," she pointed at the Doctor.

The Hatter shrugged, "I just thought that it was impotent for you to understand why we need to do this. I was always told that I should be a teacher".

"Rose, give us a hand," the Doctor called, unwinding a cable and leading it into the TARDIS, Jackie and the Hatter following after them. The Doctor plugged it into the consol as Jackie closed the Door behind her and the Hatter, "As soon as it becomes activated," he said to Rose as she join him at the consol, "If that line goes into the red, press that button there. If it doesn't stop..." he waved the sonic under her nose, "Setting 15B, hold it against the port, eight seconds and stop".

"15B, eight seconds," Rose repeated.

"If it goes into blue, activate the deep scan on the left," the Hatter called over to them from where she was standing by the closed door.

"Hang on a minute, I know..." Rose leaned over and pointed at a button, "It's that one".

"Mm, close," the Doctor said.

Rose pointed to another button, "That one?"

"Now you've just killed us," the Doctor cut in as the Hatter shook her head.

"It would only take me two minutes to take that out," the Hatter called over to them, "Why you still have it I have no idea".

"Eh...that one," Rose pointed to another button.

"Yeah!" the Doctor turned to Jackie, "Now, what've we got? Two minutes to go?" Jackie checked her watch and nodded.

The Doctor heading towards the doors but stopped before he stepped out, "You're staying here," he pointed at the Hatter who had been following him.

"Doctor, ever sense I told you about my husband abusing me you have been extremely protective," the Hatter frowned, "I'm not made of glass. I won't shatter if I do something just a little dangers".

"No," the Doctor said a little more forceful, "Stay here and help Rose," he gave her a warning look before slipping out side and closing the door behind him.

"I'm so going to slap him if he tells me one more time to stay behind and wait for him to come back," the Hatter mutated glaring at the closed door before walking up to the consol to were Rose and Jackie were.

"What's the line doing?" the Doctor shouted through the closed door.

"It's all right, its holding!" Rose shouted back as the Hatter sat on the consol chair watching the computer screen.

"You even look like him," Jackie commented looking at Rose.

"How d'you mean?" Rose smiled slightly as the Hatter tried not to listen, "I s'pose I do, yeah".

"You've changed so much," Jackie whispered.

"For the better..." Rose said a frown coming onto her face as she glanced at the Hatter only to see her focused on the screen.

"I s'pose," Jackie said making Rose turning and face her.

"Mum, I used to work in a SHOP," Rose rolled her eyes making the Hatter grimace slightly knowing how Jackie would take that.

"I've worked in shops," Jackie said defensive, "What's wrong with that?"

"No, I didn't mean that," Rose tried taking it back but it was too late.

"I know what you meant," Jackie shook her head, "What happens when I'm gone?"

"Don't talk like that!" Rose exclaimed shocked as the Hatter got up and walked around the other side of the consol, fiddling with one of the buttons.

"No, but really," Jackie said, "When I'm dead and buried, you won't have any reason to come back home. What happens then?"

"I don't know," Rose shook her head.

"Do you ever think you'll ever settle down?" Jackie asked as the Hatter started playing with her yo-yo and humming a song.

"The Doctor never will so I can't," Rose shrugged before turning back around to Jackie, "I'll Just keep on travelling".

"And you'll keep on changing," Jackie replied, "And in forty years time, fifty, there'll be this woman...walking through the marketplace on some planet a billion miles from Earth. She's not Rose Tyler. Not anymore. She's not even human..."

Suddenly the Doctor voices interrupted making the Hatter sigh in relief.

"Here we go!" the Doctor shouted through the doors.

"The scanner's working," Rose shouted back, "It says 'delta one six".

The Hatter glanced at Rose and Jackie to see them both about to started talking again. Not wanting to have to listing the Hatter slowly crept out of the TARDIS doors to see the Doctor watching the middle of the triangle.

"Come on you beauty!" the Doctor shouted not realising that the Hatter was standing next to him. A moment later a ghost appeared in the middle. As it did, the cones connected with each other with a blue electricity over the top of the ghost, trapping it. The Doctor pulled out a pair of 3D glasses from his pocket, putting them on, looking at the ghost. He then took the glass off passing them to the Hatter before doing a double take.

"When...what...I told you to stay inside!" the Doctor exclaimed staring at the Hatter as she rolled her eyes.

"Deal with it, Doctor," the Hatter bent down and adjusted a setting on the equipment before turning back to the Doctor, narrowing her eyes, "I was stuck in there with Rose and Jackie having a mother daughter talk. You are this close to getting slapped," she moved her fingers an inch away from each other, "And I promise you that you won't forget it in a hurry".

Suddenly the ghost shuddered and groaned making the Doctor and the Hatter jump. They hadn't realised how close they had been standing until then. They both blushed and turned back to the ghost.

"Don't like that much, do you?" the Doctor grinned quickly forgetting the moment he and the Hatter just had.

"Who are you?" the Hatter asked putting the glasses on, "Where are you coming from?"

"WHOA!" the Doctor shouted, pulling the Hatter behind him as the ghost took a swipe at them, "That's more like it! Not so friendly NOW, are you!"

"Yeah, provoke whatever it is even more," the Hatter rolled her eyes, "And I thought I was bad".

"Don't be like that, Hatter," the Doctor grinned looking over his shoulder at her, "You're just upset with me because of earlier".

Suddenly the ghost jerked and...disappeared completely. The Doctor and the Hatter both looked at each other before moving forward and picking up the equipment before running back into the TARDIS.

They walked back into the TARDIS the Doctor grinning away and the Hatter trying very hard not to smile. The Doctor tossed his coat off as the Hatter slipped hers off a little neater. The Doctor dashed to the consol and started to pressing buttons as the Hatter followed just behind him giving up on being upset with him.

"I said so!" the Doctor cheered as the Hatter started hooking up the equipment, "Those ghost have been FORCED into existence from one specific point! And I can track down the source. Allons-y!" he pulled down a lever and the TARDIS shuddered, sending them to the floor.

"Doctor, I was the one who worked all of that out!" the Hatter shouted as she pulled herself up.

"I like that," the Doctor said pulling a few levers as the Hatter started helping him, "'Allons-y'. I should say 'allons-y' more often. 'allons-y'. Watch out, Rose Tyler! Allons-y! Allons-y, Dame Hatter!" he shot the Hatter a grin as she shook her head, "And THEN, it would be really brilliant if I met someone called Alonzo. Because then I could say, 'allons-y, Alonzo'! Every time!" he frowned, seeing that Rose was smiling oddly, "You're staring at me".

"My mum's still on board..." Rose whispered, making the Hatter laugh.

The three of them looked over to see Jackie sitting on the gantry, "If we end up on Mars, I'm gonna kill you".

"Join the cue," the Hatter laughed before pinching the Doctors cheek as he stared horrified at Jackie, "There, there, it could be worse".

The Doctor's eyes snapped to hers, "How?"

"Well, we could end up in some top secret base," the Hatter pretend to look thoughtful, "Oh wait we just did!"

"Kill me now," the Doctor groaned.

"That would be to kind I'm afraid," the Hatter patted his cheek a little harder than just a pat, "Come on let's go to said top secret base, shall we?"

_**I finished this chapter sooner than I thought I would but didn't post it for a day or two. Not many chapters to go now and then were on to season three which is one of my favourite seasons. Anyway, tell me what you think, please review :)**_


	20. Chapter 20 Army of ghost's part 2

_**Army of ghost's part 2**_

"Oh, well there goes the advantage of surprise," the Doctor shrugged as they stood around the TARDIS monitor, watching as a group of soldiers aimed guns at the TARDIS doors, "Still! Cut's to the chase. Stay in here, look after Jackie," he looked at Rose skipping over the Hatter already knowing that she would be coming along, no matter what he said.

The Doctor turned and walked over to the doors with the Hatter right behind him. Rose ran after them, "I'm _not_ looking after my mum!"

"Well, you brought her!" the Doctor pointed out.

"I was kidnapped!" Jackie shouted making the Hatter smile slightly.

"Children!" the Hatter called trying not to laugh, "Must we fight?"

Rose shot the Hatter a cold look, pushing past them and blocking the doorway, "Doctor, they have guns!"

"And I haven't," the Doctor said, "Which makes me the better person, don't you think?" he reached out and caught her waist, moving her out of the way, "They can shoot me dead, but the moral high ground is mine".

And with that, the Doctor opened the door and stepped out with the Hatter just behind him, raising their hands...especially when the soldiers released the safety on their guns.

Out of nowhere a woman dressed in a black suit and boots ran into the room, "Oh..." she exclaimed, smiling at the Doctor and the Hatter, "Oh, how marvelous," she started clapping, "Oh, very good. Superb. Happy day!" she looked back at the soldiers, motioning for them to clap.

"Um...thanks," the Doctor said both he and the Hatter slowly lowered their hands, "Nice to meet you. I'm...the Doctor..."

"Oh, I should say!" the woman cheered as they started clapping again, "Hurray!"

"You...heard of me, then?"

"Well of course we have!" the woman said it as if it was obverses, "And I have to say, if it wasn't for you and that woman, the Hatter I believe, none of us would BE here. The Doctor AND the TARDIS..." they started clapping again, the Doctor clearly enjoying himself.

"Not another ego boost, please," the Hatter pretend to sigh, nudging the Doctor.

"Are you the companion?" the woman asked, smiling.

"The Hatter," the Hatter waved before grimacing as they all stared at her.

"Your...you're the Hatter," the woman asked staring at her as if she was some sort of hero, "As in _the_ Hatter_?"_

"The one and only," the Hatter sighed, "But before we go on, how do you know who I am?"

"Your file of course," the woman smiled, "From UNIT".

"Funny I thought I told the Brigade to destroy that," the Hatter frowned a little, "Maybe I should have a word with Alastair. So what did my file say?"

"That you were a Time Lord like the Doctor," the woman smiled, "And all of the things you did back in the seventies with the Doctor and his companies".

"I prefer the term Time Lady," the Hatter shrugged, "But getting on to the main point. Who are you?"

"Oh, plenty of time for that," the woman waved her off, "But according to the records, you're not one for travelling alone. The Doctor and his Companion. Even the Hatter and her Companion. That was the pattern wasn't it, right? There's no point hiding anything. Not from us," she gave them a slightly sinister smile, "So, where is she? Or he?"

"...yes!" the Doctor nodded slowly, glancing at the Hatter, "Sorry. Good point. She's a bit shy, that's all," he opened the TARDIS just enough for him to reach in and pull Jackie out, "But here she is, Rose Tyler," he looked Jackie up and down as the Hatter coved her smile at the look Jackie was giving him, "Hmm. She's NOT the best I've had. Bit too blonde. Not too steady on her pins. A lot of that," he mimed chatting as Jackie glared at him and the Hatter did the same to keep cover, "And just last week, she stared into the heart of the Time Vortex and aged 57 years. But she'll do".

"I'm 40!" Jackie shouted glaring at the Doctor even more.

"Deluded," the Doctor nodded sadly as the Hatter pretend to look upset, "Bless. I'll have to trade her in. Do you need anyone? She's very good at tea. Well, I say very good, I mean not bad. Well. I say not bad..."

"I happen to like her tea," the Hatter cut in giving Jackie a smile, "It's better than yours at least".

"Anyway..." the Doctor trailed off, getting back to the point, "Lead on. But not too fast. Her ankle's going".

The woman flashed them another smile before turning and leading them away, "I'll show you where my ankle's going!" Jackie hissed at the Doctor.

"It was only a matter of time until you found us," the woman led them through a doorway and into a corridor, "And at last you've made it. I'd like to welcome you, Doctor, Hatter," she turned and pushed open a door into a huge factory, filled with alien equipment, scientist working on different things, "Welcome...to Torchwood".

"Wait, that's a Jathar Sunglider," the Hatter stared up at a large ship hanging from the ceiling.

"Came down to Earth off Shetland Islands ten years ago," the woman told her.

"Did it crash?" the Doctor asked as the Hatter shook her head staring up at the ship sadly.

"No, we shot it down," the woman waved it off as the Hatter gave her a cold look, "It violated our airspace. Then we stripped it bare. The weapon that destroyed the Sycorax on Christmas Day? That was us! Now if you'd like to come with me".

"You had no right," the Hatter glared at her, "They weren't harming anyone. If they were violating your air space then you should have talked to them! Not murdered them!"

The woman raised her eyebrows at the Hatter before turning and walking off, monition for them to follow, "The Torchwood Institute has a motto: 'if it's alien, it's ours'. Anything that comes from the sky, we strip it down, and we use it. For the good of the British Empire".

"For the good of the what?" Jackie asked.

"The British Empire," the woman repented.

"There ISN'T a British Empire," Jackie frowned.

"Not yet," the woman smirked, "Ah, excuse me..." she turned and pulled a gun off a soldier, "Now, if you wouldn't mind...do you recognize this, Doctor? Hatter?"

"That's a particle gun," the Doctor and the Hatter frowned.

"Good, isn't it?" the woman smirked again. Jackie reached forward to touch it but the woman pulled it away, "Took us eight years to get it to work..."

"It's the 21st century," the Doctor shook his head, "You can't HAVE particle guns".

"We must defend our border against the alien," the woman said. She handed the particle back to the solider, "Thank you...Sebastian, isn't it?"

"Yes, ma'am," the solider nodded.

"Thank you, Sebastian," she smiled at him before turning back to them, "I think it's VERY important to know everyone by name. Torchwood is very modern organization. People skills. That's what all about these days," she looked smug; "I'm a people person".

Jackie rolled her eyes while the Hatter leaned over to the Doctor, "I wonder if they have anyone called Alonzo," she shook her head as he shot her a smile.

"Have you got anyone called Alonzo?" the Doctor asked turning back to the woman.

"No, I don't think so," she said thoughtfully, "Is that important?"

"I suppose not," the Doctor shrugged as the Hatter walked over to a big box, "What was your name?"

"Yvonne," Yvonne told him, "Yvonne Hartman," the Hatter picked up a large black device from the box, frowning at it as she did, "Ah yes. Now, we're rather fond of these. The Maganclamp. Found in a spaceship buried at the base of Mount Snowdon," the Hatter past the clamp to the Doctor, "Attach this to an object and it cancels the mass. I could use it to lift two tons of weight with a single hand. That's an imperial ton, by the way. Torchwood refuses to go metric".

"I could do with that to carry the shopping," Jackie commented as the Doctor tossed the clamp back into the box, exchanging a look with the Hatter.

"All these devices are for Torchwood's benefit," Yvonne told Jackie, "Not the general public's".

Jackie pulled a face at her as the Hatter coved her laugh with a cough, joining the Doctor as he looked through a magnifying glass, focusing it on to Yvonne, "So, about these ghosts?"

"As yes, the ghosts," Yvonne nodded, "They're er...what you would call a side effect".

"Of what?" the Hatter frowned, "What else do you have around here?"

"All in good time, Hatter," Yvonne smiled, "There is an itinerary, trust me".

"Not as fair as I could throw you," the Hatter whispered to the Doctor who nodded in argument. They looked over to see the TARDIS being driven on the back of a truck, through the base.

"Oi!" Jackie exclaimed, "Where're you taking that?"

"'If it's alien, it's ours'".

"You'll never get inside," the Hatter remarked lightly.

"Hm!" Yvonne hummed not seeming bothered in the slights, "Et cetera," she turned and walked off. The Doctor looked back at the TARDIS door to see Rose peeking out. He nodded to her before taking the Hatter's hand and following after Yvonne.

...

"All those times I've been on Earth," the Doctor shook his head as they walked down a corridor with soldiers flanking them, "I've never heard of you, Hatter?"

"Nope," the Hatter shook her head, "If I had then I would have stopped them a long time ago".

"But of course not," Yvonne grinned not bothered by what the Hatter had said, "You're the enemy. You're actually named in the Torchwood Foundation Charter of 1879 as an enemy of the Crown. Not the Hatter but she's an alien so, it doesn't matter".

"Thanks," the Hatter rolled her eyes, "I feel honoured".

"1879...that was called Torchwood," the Doctor said thinking back as the Hatter nodded, remembering the Doctor telling her the story, "That house in Scotland".

"That's right," Yvonne nodded, "Where you encountered Queen Victoria and the werewolf".

"I think he makes half of it up," Jackie commented.

"Sorry to disappoint you, 'Rose'," the Hatter said, "But he's telling the truth".

"Her Majesty created the Torchwood Institute with the express intention of keeping Britain great," Yvonne explained, "And fighting the alien horde".

"But if I'm the enemy," the Doctor asked, "Does that mean _we're_ prisoners?"

"Oh yes," Yvonne smiled as they turned a corner, "But we'll make you perfectly comfortable," they came to a black door, "And there is so much you can teach us. Starting with this," she held up an ID cared against a digital lock, opening the door, "Now, what do you make of _that_?" she asked, walking into the room.

The followed her inside, the Hatter shrived as she stepped in for no apparent reason until her gaze landed on a large sphere hovering above a black platform at the back of the room. The Doctor's mouth fell open at the same time that the Hatter grabbed his arm.

"You must be the Doctor!" a young Indian man, a scientist of some sort, stepped up to the Doctor, "Rajesh Singh. It's an honour, sir," he held out his hand but the Doctor was too focused on the sphere.

"And this is the Hatter," Yvonne gestured to the Hatter who snapped out of her trance to look at Yvonne, "And I mean _the_ Hatter".

"Oh my God," Rajesh breathed staring at the Hatter in awe, "I have read every single file about you or that even had your name in it," the Hatter sighed and nodded politely, "You're a geniuses!"

"So, I have been told," the Hatter sighed before looking back at the sphere.

"What IS that thing?" Jackie breathed.

"We got no idea," Yvonne said.

"But what's wrong with it?" Jackie asked.

"What makes you think there's something wrong with it?" Rajesh asked snapping out of staring at the Hatter.

"I dunno...just feels weird".

The Doctor darted up the small steps that led to the platform, to get a better look at the sphere, the Hatter stayed behind with Jackie.

"Well, the sphere has that effect on everyone," Yvonne sighed, "Makes you wanna run and hide. Like its forbibben".

"We tried analysing it using every device imaginable," Rajesh said as the Doctor put his 3D glasses on and looked at the sphere, "But, according to our instruments, the sphere doesn't exist. It weighs nothing. It doesn't age. No heat. No radiation. And it has no atomic mass".

"But I can see it!" Jackie argued.

"Fascinating, isn't it?" Rajesh said, "It upsets people because it gives off...nothing. It is...absent".

"Well Doctor? Hatter?" Yvonne asked.

"It's a Void Ship," the Hatter said without looking away, "I should know. I invented it but it was stolen from the Doctor and our people in war. When I realised what I had made...I tried to destroy it but no matter what I did it didn't even dent. Someone told the High Council about it and ordered it to be brought to them. I don't know what they did with it after that but I do know that it was stolen by the race we were fighting against".

"But what is a Void Ship?" Yvonne asked.

"I always thought it was just a theory..." the Doctor took his glasses off and crossed his arms, looking over his shoulder at the Hatter, "You never told me about this. When did you make it?"

"A long time before you left," the Hatter answered, "The 'Beast' said that I had many secrets this is one is one of the oldest and biggest," she sighed turning to the humans, "As for your question. A Void Ship is a vessel designed to exist outside of time and space, travelling through the Void. Hence the name".

"And what's the 'Void?'" Rajesh asked as the Doctor sat on the bottom of the steps, he patted the space beside him for the Hatter to sit down.

"The space between dimensions," the Doctor and the Hatter said in unison.

"There's all sorts of realities around us," the Doctor explained, "Different dimensions, billions of parallel Universes all stacked against each other".

"The Void is in the space in between," the Hatter cut in, "Containing absolutely nothing. Imagine that, nothing. No light, no dark, no up, no down, no life, no time...without end".

"Our people called it the Void," the Doctor added, "The Eternals call it the Howling...but some people call it Hell".

Jackie raised her eyebrows at them while Rajesh and Yvonne smirked, slightly.

"Your files said that you did that with each other," Yvonne commented.

"Old habits," the Doctor and the Hatter waved it off.

"But you built the sphere," Rajesh said to the Hatter, "What for? Why?"

"I didn't make it for any reason," the Hatter sighed, "It was an accident. It could be used for exploring, to escape. You could sit in there and eternity would pass you by. The Big Bang, end of the Universe, start of the next, wouldn't touch the sides. When I make something I make it to last," she put her head in her hands, "It was never meant to be used. Never. I didn't even know what I had created until I tried to destroy it," she stood up, walking up the stairs, staring up at the sphere. She reached out a hand only for it to hit a force filed, "Whatever you are in there, I promise you I will stop you. I built this and I will end it. Today".

"You see, we were right," Yvonne said smugly to Rajesh, "There _is_ something inside it".

"Oh yes," the Doctor said serious as he and the Hatter exchanged dark looks.

"So how do we get in there?" Rajesh asked looking at the Hatter.

"We don't!" the Hatter said completely serious as the Doctor stood, "We send it back into Hell!"

"How did it get here in the first place?" the Doctor asked.

"Well, that's how it all started," Yvonne said, "The sphere came through into this world, and the ghost followed in its wake".

"Show us," the Doctor and the Hatter said in unison as they started walking towards the door. Yvonne threw Rajesh a look before following after the Doctor and the Hatter just as the Doctor tried to walk left only for the Hatter to grab the back of his suit, dragging him right.

"How do you know the way?" the Doctor asked as the Hatter sent him a smile.

"I saw the floor plan on one of the walls before we came in here," the Hatter shrugged, "What would you do without me?"

"Live a peaceful life...ow!" the Doctor started to say only for the Hatter to hit him on the back of his head, "I meant extremely boring life!"

"That's more like it," the Hatter laughed.

...

"The sphere came through here," Yvonne led them through a large, white room a few desks in it. At the back of the room was a big white wall with nothing on it, "A hole in the world," the Doctor and the Hatter both placed their hands on the wall, feeling along it, "Not active at the moment. But when we fire particle engines at that exact spot, the breech opens up".

"How did you even find it?" the Hatter asked turning around from the wall.

"Well, we were getting warning signs for years," Yvonne explained, "A radar black spot. So we built this place, Torchwood Tower. The breech was six hundred feet above sea level. It was the only way to reach it".

The Doctor pulled out his 3D glasses and looked at the wall, "You built a skyscraper just to reach a spatial disturbance? How much money have you got?"

"Enough," Yvonne smirked as she walked away.

"Hatter," the Doctor said taking of his 3D glasses and passing them to her, "Take a look".

The Hatter slipped the glasses on, looking at the wall before passing them back to him, "Not good, not good at all," she shook her head, "But it might make it easier to close. The only thing is that everyone who has travailed in time gets sucked in. But I think I have a way around that".

"Hold on a minute..."Jackie called, looking out a window down onto the city in Yvonne's office, "We're in Canary Wharf! Must be! This building, it's Canary Wharf".

"Well, that is the public name for it," Yvonne said walking over to Jackie, "But to those in the know, it's Torchwood".

"So, you find the breech, probe it, the sphere comes through," the Doctor began coming up behind Yvonne with the Hatter, "Sir hundred feet above London, bam. It leaves a hole in the fabric of reality. And that hole, you think, 'oh, shall we leave it alone? Shall we back off? Shall we play it safe? Nah, you think 'let's make it BIGGER!'"

"It's a massive source of energy," Yvonne argued, "If we harness that power, we need never depend on the Middle East again. Britain will become truly independent. Look, you can see for yourself. Next ghost shift's in two minutes".

"Cancel it," the Hatter said as Yvonne started to walk off.

"I don't think so," Yvonne rolled her eyes.

"We're warning you," the Doctor glared at Yvonne, "Cancel it".

"Oh, exactly as the legends would have it," Yvonne turned back around glaring at them, "The Doctor and the Hatter, lording it over us. Assuming alien authority over the rights of Man".

"Then let me show you," the Hatter pulled out her sonic screwdriver and held it up to the glass that parted Yvonne's office from the rest of the room, "Sphere comes through," she activated the sonic. The glass splinted, making a hole in the middle of the 'o' of 'Torchwood' before cracking around it, "But when it made the hole, it cracked the world around it. The entire surface of this dimension, splintered. And that's how the ghosts get through. That's how they get everywhere. They're bleeding through the fault lines. Walking from their world, across the Void, and into yours. With the human race hoping and wishing and helping them alone! But too many ghosts, Doctor would you like to do the honours?"

The Doctor tapped the glass lightly with his fingertip and the whole window shattered, falling to the ground.

"Well, in that case we'll have to be more careful," Yvonne shrugged it off, turning to her staff, "Positions! Ghost Shift in one minute".

"Ms. Hartman, I am asking you, please, don't do it," the Doctor called walking after her.

"We have done this a thousand times..."

"Then stop at a thousand," the Hatter pleaded moving to the Doctor's side.

"We are in control of the ghosts," Yvonne argued, "The levers can open the breech, but equally they can CLOSE it!"

All three of them stared at each other for a few moments.

"Okay," the Doctor said lightly, turning back to the office and rolling out two chairs.

"Sorry?" Yvonne frowned at him.

"Never mine about it!" the Hatter shrugged playing along, "As you were!"

"What is that it?" Yvonne blinked.

The Doctor sat in the chair as the Hatter sat in the other one, "No!" the Doctor waved her off, "Fair enough. Me and the Hatter said our bit. Don't mind us. Any chance of a cup of tea?"

"I'll have glass of water," the Hatter added.

"Ghost shift in twenty seconds," a woman called.

"Mm!" the Doctor smiled, "Can't WAIT to see it!"

"You can't stop us, Doctor, Hatter," Yvonne warned.

"Wouldn't dream of it," the Hatter smiled.

"No, absolutely not!" the Doctor looked at Jackie, "Pull up a chair, Rose! Come and watch the fireworks!"

Jackie moved to the side of the Doctor's chair.

"Ghost shift in ten seconds," the same woman said, "Nine...eight..." the Doctor raised his eyebrow at Yvonne who stared at them uneasily, "Seven...six...five...four...two..."

"Stop the shift," Yvonne called, giving a sigh, "I said stop".

"Thank you," both the Doctor and the Hatter said.

"I suppose it makes sense to get as much intelligence as possible," Yvonne admitted before looking at the Doctor and the Hatter, "But the programme will recommence, as soon as you've explained everything".

"Glade to be of help," the Hatter smiled.

Yvonne turned and looked at the glass, "And someone clear up this glass!" she looked at the Doctor and the Hatter, "They did warn me, Doctor. They said you like to make a mess," she glanced at the Hatter, "So does your file".

She turned and walked back to her office while the Doctor and the Hatter high fived each other.

...

"Yvonne?" Rajesh called through the webcam on Yvonne's open laptop as they sat in her office, the Doctor with his feet up on her desk, "I think you should see this. We've got visitor. We don't know who she is, but funnily enough, she arrived at the same time at the Doctor and the Hatter".

Yvonne turned the laptop around to show Rose and Rajesh on the screen. Rose was wearing a white lab coat.

"She one of yours?" Yvonne asked, glancing at the Doctor and the Hatter.

The Doctor shook his head, "Never seen her before in my life".

"Oh, hang on..." the Hatter clicked her finger before sighing and shaking her head, "Sorry I thought she looked like someone I knew back in school. Must be the lab coat".

"Good!" Yvonne grinned, "Then we can have her shot".

"Oh, alright then," the Doctor sighed sitting up, "It'll be worth a try. That's..._that's_ Rose Tyler".

"Sorry," Rose waved as the Doctor waved back, "Hello!"

"Well, if that's Rose Tyler, who's SHE?" Yvonne nodded to Jackie.

"I'm her mother," Jackie said proudly.

"Oh, you travel with her mother?"

"He kidnapped me!" Jackie exclaimed pointing at the Doctor.

"Please," the Doctor leaned forward in his chair, "When Torchwood comes to write my complete history, don't tell people I travelled through time and space with her mother..."

"Charming," Jackie rolled her eyes and the Hatter covered her laugh with a cough.

"I've got a reputation to uphold!" the Doctor told her just as the sound of the ghost shift started.

"Excuse me?" Yvonne addressed the staff, "Everyone? I thought I said stop the ghost sift," the three staff members simply ignored her, typing away at their computers, "Who started the program? But...I ordered you to stop! What's going on?" she pointed at the levers as they rose by its self, "Whose doing that? Step away from the monitors, everyone!" they didn't move, "Gareth, Addy, stop what you're doing, RIGHT NOW. Matt! Step away from the desk. That's an order! Stop the levers!" two men in lab coats rushed forward and started to struggle to push the lever down, "Stop the levers!"

"What's SHE doing?" the Doctor rushed over to Addy with the Hatter.

"Addy?" Yvonne shook her head as she join him and the Hatter, "Step away from the desk," the Hatter clicked her fingers in front of Addy's face but didn't get a reaction, "Listen to me. Step away from the desk!"

"She can't hear you," the Hatter sighed looking at the computer screen, "They're overriding the system".

"We're going into Ghost Shift," the Doctor said looking up to the blank wall, anxious as the Hatter did the same. The lights brightened as Jackie, Yvonne, the Doctor, and the Hatter stared at the wall.

"It's the ear piece controlling them," the Doctor stared at Addy's flashing ear piece, "I've seen this before..." he pulled out his sonic and stood behind her as the Hatter closed her eyes, "Sorry. I'm so sorry," he held the sonic to her ear piece. Addy screamed in pain before slumping over her desk, dead. On the other side of the room the other two men did the same.

"What happened?" Yvonne gasped as the Hatter open her eyes, "What did you just do?"

"They're dead," the Hatter sighed, sadly.

"You killed them!" Jackie accused the Doctor.

"Oh, someone did that long before we got here," the Hatter sighed turning back to the computer and started typing.

"But you killed them!" Jackie shouted at the Doctor.

"Jackie, I haven't got time for this..."

"What're those ear pieces?" Yvonne asked looking at Addy's ear piece.

"Don't," the Doctor and the Hatter warned.

"But they're standard comms. devices," Yvonne frowned, "How does it control them?"

"You really don't want to know," the Hatter called over to them as the Doctor came up behind her and started helping her, "Just leave them alone".

"But what are they?" Yvonne frowned, taking hold of Addy's ear piece and pulled it, a trail of brain tissues was attached to the ear piece, "Urgh! Oh, God! It goes inside their brain!" she dropped the device, revolted.

"What about the Ghost Shift?" the Doctor called over his shoulder.

"Ninety percent," Yvonne called back, "It's still working. Can't you stop it?'

"They're still controlling it," the Hatter called not looking up from her typing, "They've hijacked the system. I forgot how fast they could work".

"Who's THEY?" Yvonne asked walking over to the Doctor and the Hatter.

The Doctor pulled out his sonic, turning it around slowly, "It might be a remote transmitter but it's gotta be close by. I can trace," he started to run off, "Jackie, Hatter, stay here!" he shouted as he ran out with Yvonne following him.

"Jackie stay here and don't touch anything!" the Hatter called over her shoulder as she chassed after them, no noticing that on Yvonne's laptop it showed that there sphere was activated.

The Hatter ran around a corner to see Yvonne talking to two passing soldiers, "You two, you come with us".

"Yes, ma'am," one of the soldiers said as the Hatter caught up with them, they followed after her as Yvonne, the Doctor, and without the Doctor knowing it, the Hatter, until they reached a curtained area.

"What's down here?" the Hatter asked mainly because she wanted to see what the Doctor would do.

"Hatter!" the Doctor hissed, "I told you to stay with Jackie".

"Jackie's a grown woman," the Hatter said, "And so am I".

"I don't...I dunno," Yvonne cut in not wanting to get in the middle of a fight, "I think its building work. It's just renovation".

"You should go back," the Doctor said as he started forward.

"Think again," both the Hatter and Yvonne remarked, Yvonne motioned for the two soldiers to follow after them. The Doctor stopped and pushed the plastic curtain aside as his sonic beeped, "What is it? What's down here?"

"Ear pieces," the Hatter frowned, "Ear pods, this world is colliding with another. And I think we know which one".

Out of no were a shadow of a Cyberman appeared behind a curtain. The Doctor grabbed the Hatter's hand behind his back.

"What are they?" Yvonne breathed.

"They came through first," the Doctor said as the Cybermen slit the plastic curtain with their hands, "The advance guard!" the Cybermen stepped through and marched towards them, "Cybermen!"

The two soldiers started firing at the Cybermen but with no effect. The Doctor, the Hatter, and Yvonne looked around, trying to find a way out but they were surrounded.

"Um, take us to your leader," the Hatter said from behind the Doctor, trying to lighten the mood, "I should really say that more often".

...

"Get away from the machines," the Doctor shouted to the scientists as they were led back into the Rift Chamber, their hands behind their backs, by the Cybermen, "Do what they say, don't fight them!"

The Cybermen aimed their guns and shot the scientists, killing them.

"What are they?" Jackie cried, sounding terrified.

"We are the Cybermen," One of the Cybermen said, "The ghost Shift will be increased to one hundred percent," he hit his fist to his chest and the lever started rising.

"Online," the computer announced.

"Here comes the ghosts," the Hatter and the Doctor breathed as the lights brightened. They watched as the ghost stepped through the wall, in a line formation, very quickly taking the shape of Cybermen until they were solid.

"These Zybermen...what've they got to do with the ghosts?"

"They are the ghosts, Jackie," the Hatter said as she shielded her eyes from the bright light, "A footprint doesn't look like a boot".

"Achieving full transfer," the Cyberman said.

"They're Cybermen," the Doctor shook his head, taking the Hatter's hand, "All of the ghosts are Cybermen..." they watched as the Cybermen continued to march out of the light, "Millions of them. Right across the world".

"They're invading the whole planet," Yvonne gasped as the Cybermen became solid.

"It's not an invasion, it's too late for that," the Hatter sighed, "It's a victory".

They looked up as the laptop beeped.

"Sphere activated," the computer announced, "Sphere activated. Sphere activated. Sphere activated".

"Rose is down there," Jackie gasped her eyes wide with fear.

"Here we go," the Hatter breathed staring at the computer screen looking horrified, "I just hope that what I think is in there isn't in there".

_**Two more chapters to go. I looked it up, it was never said who made the sphere only that the Daleks somehow found it and used it and doesn't it make senses that it would be the Time Lords that made it and then it was somehow lost in war. Hope you liked it, tell me what you thought, please review :)**_


	21. Chapter 21 Doomsday part 1

_**Doomsday part 1**_

"What's down there?" Jackie turned to the Doctor and the Hatter who were leaning against the wall, "She was in that room with the sphere. What's happened to Rose?"

"I don't know," the Doctor admitted abruptly exchanging a worried look with the Hatter. Jackie started crying, the Hatter put an arm around her as the Doctor followed after the Hatter over to Jackie, "I'll find her. I brought you here; I'll get you both out. You and your daughter. Jackie, look at me. Look at me," Jackie looked up at him, tears in her eyes, "I promise you. I give you my word".

"And mine," the Hatter added.

One of the Cybermen approached Yvonne who was sitting behind her desk, "You will talk to your central world authority and order global surrender".

"Oh, do some research," Yvonne rolled her eyes, not afraid in the slights, "We haven't GOT a central world authority".

"You have now. I will speak on all global wavelength," the Doctor slipped his 3D glasses on as the Cyberman started the broadcast, "This broadcast is for human kind: Cybermen now occupy every land mass on this planet. But you need not fear. Cybermen will remove fear. Cybermen will remove sex and class and colour and creed. You will become identical. You will become like us".

...

"I ordered surrender," the Cyberman stated as they observed the city below, watching as explosions and fire went off. The world fighting against the Cybermen.

"They're not taking instructions," the Hatter turning away from the window to glair at the Cyberman, "Don't you understand? You're on every street, you're in their homes. You've got their children. Of course they're going to fight!"

"Hatter, please don't," the Doctor whispered in her ear, pulling her back from the Cyberman.

"Scans detect unknown technology active within Sphere Chamber," One of the Cybermen suddenly said making the Doctor and the Hatter look at each other.

"Cybermen will investigate," another Cyberman agreed, pushing a comm. device open, "Units 10-65 and 10-66 will investigate Sphere Chamber".

"We obey," came the reply.

"Units open visual link," a Cyberman, the Cyberleader, ordered as the Doctor and the Hatter watched as a visual of a corridor appeared on Yvonne's laptop a moment later, "Visual contact established".

The Doctor and the Hatter stared in horror as a Dalek appeared on the screen. The Doctor grabbed the Hatter's hand, holding it tightly, quickly placing a kiss on her forehead when he felt her shacking.

"No..." the Doctor breathed, shaking his head.

"I really hate being right," the Hatter breathed as she tightened her own grip on the Doctor's hand.

"Identify yourselves," the Dalek commanded.

"You will identify first," the Cyberman replied.

"State your identity!"

"You will identify first," the Cyberman repented.

"I never thought I would see a Cyberman and a Dalek have an argument," the Hatter whispered to the Doctor as she tried to stop herself from shacking.

"Shhh," the Doctor quietly shushed her, wrapping one of his arms around her but it didn't seem to help.

"Identify!" the Dalek demanded.

"...illogical, you will modify".

"Daleks do not take orders!"

"No but they can give them out," the Hatter said under her breath.

"You have identified as Daleks".

"Outline resembles the INFERIOR species known as 'Cybermen,'" the voice of another Dalek came over the monitor.

The Doctor and the Hatter looked at each other, completely horrified at the thought of more Daleks. The Doctor pulled the Hatter closer to him as she started shacking worse than before.

"Rose said about the Daleks," Jackie whispered to the Doctor, "She was terrified of them. What have they done to her, Doctor? Is she dead?"

"Phone," the Doctor demanded holding out a hand to Jackie as the Hatter stepped away from the Doctor, taking deep breaths and closing her eyes trying to stop herself from shacking.

"What did you-" Jackie whispered only for the Doctor to cut her off.

"Phone!" Jackie past her phone over, discreetly so the Cyberman wouldn't see as the Hatter opened her eyes, no longer shacking but still looking paler than normal. The Doctor dialled Rose's phone and held it to his ear, waiting for Rose to answer. After a moment he turned to Jackie, looking relieved.

"She's answered, she's alive," the Doctor said quietly as the Hatter sighed in relief and Jackie clapped her hand over her mouth, "Why haven't they killed her?"

"Well, don't complain!" Jackie exclaimed as the Hatter nodded, agreeing with his words.

"They must need her for something," the Hatter frowned as the Doctor fell silent, listening to the conversation on the other side of the phone.

"The Genesis Ark?" the Doctor glanced at the Hatter who had gone sickly pale, shacking all over again, looking even more horrified then when they had first heard the Dalek voice. The Doctor shot her a worried look as he slipped his 3D glasses on, looking at the laptop.

"Our species are similar, though your design is inelegant," the Cyberman said.

"Daleks have no concept of elegance," the Dalek replied.

"This is obvious," the Cyberman said, "But consider, our technologies are compatibly. Cybermen plus Daleks, together, we could upgrade the Universe".

"You propose an alliance?" the Dalek asked.

"This is correct".

"The Daleks won't agree," the Hatter whispered as she stopped shacking but still looked pale, "They need to be in control at all times".

"Request denied," the Dalek replied just like the Hatter had said they would.

"Hostile elements will be deleted," the Cybermen held out their fists, getting ready to attack the Dalek. They shot at the Dalek, but the rays only bounced off the Daleks armour.

"Exterminate!" the Dalek aimed at the Cybermen, killing them both after each other.

"Open visual link," the Cyberleader ordered opening to the view of the Sphere Chamber, "Daleks, be warned: you have declared war upon the Cybermen".

Jackie's eyes widened as they saw, Rose standing off to the side, and surprising Mickey Smith next to her. The Hatter and the Doctor looked at each other both frowning about how Mickey could be back.

"This is not war," a black Dalek said, "This is pest control".

The Hatter raised her eyebrows, surprising a smirk, "I did not just hear a Dalek say that".

"We have five million Cybermen," the Cyberleader said before the Doctor could make a remark, "How many are you?"

"Four".

"You would destroy the Cybermen with FOUR Daleks?"

"We would destroy the Cybermen with ONE Dalek. You are superior in only one respect".

"What is that?" the Cyberleader asked as the Doctor walked, unknown past the sight of the camera of the screen with the Hatter following him as he paced, still with the phone to his ear.

"You are better at dying!" the Dalek shouted, "Raise communication barrier!"

The screen went blank just as the Doctor closed the phone, "Lost her," he muttered to the Hatter as she sighed.

...

"Wait!" one of the Daleks called as static appeared on the screen, "Rewind image by nine rells," the feed played back, stopping at the moment that the Hatter and the Doctor could be seen in the back ground, "Identify grid seven gamma frame," it zoomed in to the point that both the Doctor and the Hatter's faces were clearly seen, "This male and female register as enemy".

Rose grinned at seeing the Doctor's face while Mickey smiled slightly at seeing the Hatter.

"The female's heartbeat has increased," the black Dalek called Sec spun around, aiming his eye stalk at Rose.

"Yeah, tell me about it," Mickey rolled his eyes.

"Identify them!" the Dalek demanded.

"Alright then..." Rose smirked, "If you really wanna know...that's the Doctor," the Daleks rolled back sharply, "And the Hatter," Rose mutated but did a double take when the Daleks rolled even further back, "Five million Cybermen, easy. One Doctor and Hatter? NOW you're scared".

...

"Quarantine the Sphere Chamber," the Cyberleader ordered as the Hatter ran her hands through her hair trying to think up a plane, "Start emergency upgrading. Begin with these personnel".

Two Cybermen stepped forwarded, grabbing Yvonne and Jackie, dragging them away as they struggled. The Hatter and the Doctor tried to pull them back.

"No, you can't do this!" Yvonne shouted as she was pulled away, "We surrendered! We surrendered!"

Two other Cybermen grabbed the Doctor and the Hatter, pulling them away as the Doctor tried to pull the Hatter towards him, when they suddenly stopped, "These two have increased adrenaline suggests they have vital Dalek information".

"You promised me!" Jackie shouted, struggling to get back to the Doctor and the Hatter, "You gave me your word!"

"We'll think of something!" the Doctor shouted as she was dragged out of the room.

"Whatever happens, Jackie, we will look after Rose!" the Hatter shouted as the Doctor also shouted after her. The Doctor reached over and grabbed the Hatter's hand, as she stared off after Jackie, "We have to do something, Doctor," she whispered, "We have to".

...

"You are proof," the Cybleader told the Doctor and the Hatter as he came up behind them. The Doctor and the Hatter were sitting on the window sill, gazing out over the city as the humans fought. The Doctor had put an arm around the Hatter's shoulders.

"Of what?" the Hatter frowned looking up at the Cyberleader.

"That emotions destroy you".

"Yeah, I am," the Doctor nodded, glancing at the Cyberleader before his attention was drawn off to the side. The Hatter followed his gaze, "Mine you, I quite like hope," he's eyes flicked to the Hatter to check that she was looking at what he was before back to the side, "Hope's a good emotion. And here it comes".

The Cyberleader turned around to where they were staring. A group of people dressed in black had seemed to have just appeared in the middle of the room, each carrying guns. One of them, a man, shouted to the others and they shot a row of Cyberman, destroying them. The Doctor grabbed the Hatter, both rolling to the side, out of the way and crouching in the corner as the Cyberleader moved forwarded only to get its head blown completely off.

"Um, Doctor I think it's safe to move your hand from my leg," the Hatter smiled, glancing down at his hand on her thigh before up to the Doctor's face next to her shoulder.

"What?" he asked before glancing down, turning bright red and moving his hand, "Um, right, sorry".

"Doctor, Hatter, good to see you!" the leader of the group shouted over to them, not noticing the Doctor and the Hatter's little moment. The leader pulled his mask off to reveal...Jake from the parallel Universe.

"Jake?" the Doctor said in disbelief before looking at the Hatter, "Why aren't you surprised?"

"We just saw Mickey in the Sphere Chamber," the Hatter rolled her eyes, "I already had an idea that we might see some old faces but how..." she turned around, giving Jake a frown.

"The Cybermen came through from one world to another and so did we," Jake nodded as the Hatter and the Doctor exchanged worried looks. Jake turned back to his team, "Defend this room. Chrissie, monitor communications," the Doctor pulled out his 3D glasses and looked at the group as the Hatter shook her head fondly at him, "Kill one Cyberleader and they just download into another. Move!"

"You can't just hop from one world to another," the Hatter shook her head as the group hurried out of the room leaving Jake alone with them, "It breaks one of the top rules. Now I'm not one to follow rules but even I wouldn't have broken that".

"We just did, with these," Jake chucked a large, yellow button like device on a chain over to the Hatter who glanced down at it before passing it to the Doctor.

"You do realise how un-likely this is, right?" the Hatter shook her head as the Doctor looked at the device, "I would say impossible but nothing is impossible just a bit un-likely. You can't have this sort of technology".

"We've got our own version of Torchwood," Jackie explained, "They developed it. Do you wanna come and see?"

"No!" The Doctor and the Hatter shouted in unison, but it was too late, Jake pushed the button. The Doctor and Jake diapered, leaving the Hatter alone in the room.

"Oh, go right ahead," the Hatter shouted at thin air, "I'll just stay here and knit shall I?" she rolled her eyes, "Not a chance".

She took one more look around the room before running out of the door and down the corridor, towards the Sphere Chamber.

...

The Doctor and Jake reappeared in the parallel world, standing in the same spot, in the same building, desk, wires, and different pieces of equipment all over the floor, the Hatter nowhere in sight, much to the Doctor's concern.

"Parallel Earth, parallel Torchwood," Jake explained as the Doctor looked around the room, "Except we found out what the institute was doing and the peoples republic took control".

"We've gotta get back," the Doctor said urgent to get back to the Hatter, "The Hatter's in danger knowing her. Rose is in danger. And her mother".

"That'd be Jackie," a voice said. The Doctor looked up to see Pete Tyler walk into the room, flanked by two soldiers, "My wife in a parallel Universe. And as for you, Doctor, at least this time I know who you are".

"Right, yes fine, hooray," the Doctor ran over to him becoming more urgent to get back to the Hatter, "But I've gotta get back. Right now".

"No, you're not in charge here," Pete shook his head, "This is _our_ world, not yours. And you're gonna listen for once".

The Doctor glared at him, but he was silent, for now.

...

"I could transport out of here," Mickey said quietly to Rose. The Daleks were crowded around the Genesis Ark, "But it only carries one and I'm not leaving you".

"You'd follow me anywhere," Rose smiled, "What did I do to you all those years ago?"

"Guess I'm just stupid," Mickey shrugged; Rose reached out and squeezed his hand.

"Mickey Smith, don't you dare talk like that about yourself," a voices suddenly called from the door way. Everyone, including the Daleks turned to see the Hatter, arms crossed, leaning against the door way with a smirk on her face, "Sorry to crash the party, wait what, am I say? No I'm not," she uncrossed her arms and strolled inside, "Hello! Did you miss me?"

"Alert!" the Daleks shouted, "Alert! You are the Hatter! You will be EXTERMINATED!"

"Wow, wow, wow, hang on!" the Hatter held up her hands, "Don't you want to know why I strolled in here when I knew you would try to kill me right away?"

"Sensors detect that she is unarmed," one of the Daleks reported.

"Yep," the Hatter smirked, stopping next to Rose and Mickey, "But that's not what matters right now. Wall, it douse but...sorry I was about to start rambling. Anyway, you need some help, right? And you know who I am and what I can do so, I'm offering you me as a prisoner," both Rose and Mickey's mouths dropped open at how calmly she said all of this, "But you have to let these two humans go".

"You will be taken as our prisoner," the black Dalek ordered before turning back around.

"Hang on, what about letting the humans go?" the Hatter frowned.

The Daleks didn't answer; they turned back around to the Genesis Ark. The Hatter watched them; frowning at how simple it was to just walk in.

"I can't think what the Daleks need me," Mickey said snapping the Hatter out of her thoughts, "I'm nothing to them".

"No you're not," the Hatter smiled, "You're brilliant, Mickey".

"You could be..." Rose glanced over to the Daleks, "Whatever's inside that Ark is waking up and I've seen this happen before. The first time I saw a Dalek, it was broken. It was dying. But I touched it. The moment I did that...I brought it back to life," the Hatter nodded, remembering the Doctor telling her about that adventure, "As the Doctor said...when you travel in time in the TARDIS, you soak up all this...um..."

"Background radiation," the Hatter suggested.

"Yeah," Rose said before going on with her story, "It's harmless, it's just there. But in the Time War, the Daleks evolved so they could use it as a power supply".

"I love it when you talk technical," Mickey smiled.

"They didn't evolve like that," the Hatter cut in getting a dirty look from Rose, "Just another thing I never told the Doctor. They did it because they knew that I had the technology that could destroy them, sitting in my laboratory, just waiting for one tiny part to finish it".

"If the Daleks have got something inside that thing that needs waking up..." Rose sighed, ignoring the Hatter.

"They need you two," Mickey realised.

"Don't forget that you also travailed in time," the Hatter said, "Any one of us would do. No wonder they didn't let you two go".

"But why would they build something they can't open themselves?" Mickey asked.

"Simple," the Hatter sighed looking at the Genesis Ark with an unreadable expression, "They didn't build it. Just another thing the Doctor was never told".

"Who did?" Rose asked before gasping, "It was you".

"I had help," the Hatter corrected, "But yes I did build it".

"What's inside?" Mickey asked.

"The Doctor and my worst nightmares," the Hatter said darkly.

"More Daleks?" Mickey asked as the Hatter nodded, "Please tell me it's not bigger on the inside".

The Hatter didn't answerer.

...

"When you left this world," Pete explained to the Doctor as he pressed his ear to the white wall in the parallel Torchwood, "You warned us there'd be more Cybermen. So we sealed them inside the factories".

"Except people argued," Jake rolled his eyes as the Doctor stepped away from the wall, "Said they were living. We should HELP them".

"And the debate went on," Pete shook his head, "But all that time, the Cybermen made planes. Infiltrated this version of Torchwood, mapped themselves onto your world, and then vanished".

"When was this?" the Doctor asked.

"Three years," Pete said as they walked over to the other side of the room.

"It's taken them three years to cross the Void," the Doctor frowned, "But we can pop to and fro in a second. Must be the sheer mass of five million Cybermen crossing all at once".

"Yeah, Mickey said you'd rattle off that sort of stuff," Pete said.

"Oh, where is Mickey-boy?" the Doctor asked, completely forgetting about seeing him with his worry for the Hatter.

"He went ahead first," Pete told him, "Any chance to go and find Miss Rose Tyler".

"She's your daughter," the Doctor said to Pete, "You do know that? Did Mickey explain?"

"She's not mine, she's the child of a dead man," Pete said as they came to a window, looking out the window, "Look at it. A world of peace. They're calling this 'The Golden Age'".

"Who's the president now?" the Doctor asked.

"A woman called Harriet Jones".

"I'd keep an eye on her," the Doctor exhaled.

"But it's a lie," Pete said, "Temperature have risen by two degrees in the past six months. The ice caps are melting. They're saying all this is gonna be flooded. That's not just global warming, is it?'

"No," the Doctor shook his head.

"It's the breach".

"I've been trying to tell you," the Doctor frowned, "Travel between parallel worlds is impossible," he paused, "Very un-likely as the Hatter would say. Then the Daleks break down the walls with the sphere..."

"Daleks?" Pete frowned.

"Then the Cybermen travelled across. Then you lot, those disks, every time you jump from one reality to another, you rip a hole in the Universe. This planet is starting to boil. Keep going and BOTH worlds will fall into the Void".

"But you can stop it, the famous Doctor and the famous Hatter...you can seal the breach?" Pete said hopefully.

"Leaving five million Cybermen stranded on _my_ Earth".

"That's your problem," Pete shrugged, "I'm protecting this world, and this world only".

The Doctor laughed quietly, "Hm...Pete Tyler...I knew you when you were dead. Now here you are, fighting the fight...alone..." he moved closer, "There is a chance...back on my world...Jackie Tyler might still be alive".

"My wife died".

"Her husband died," the Doctor said, "Good match".

"There's more important things at stake...Doctor...help us".

The Doctor stepped back, "What? Close the breach? Stop the Cybermen? Defeat the Daleks? Do you believe I can do that?"

"If you have the Hatter, yes," Pete said confidently.

"Maybe that's all I need," the Doctor grinned, "Off we go, then!"

_**Sorry about there not really being a lot of the Hatter in this chapter. Next chapter there should be a lot more of her. I had to rewrite the first half of this chapter because in the begin I was going to have the Cybermen send her to investigate the Sphere but I changed my mind half way through writing it. Anyway I hope you liked it. Tell me what you thought, please review :)**_


	22. Chapter 22 Doomsday part 2

_**Doomsday part 2**_

As soon as the Doctor, Pete, and Jake arrived back in the invaded Torchwood. The Doctor slipped the yellow button he used to bring them, slipping it over his head and rushed over to the phone, "First of all, I need to make a phone call. You don't mind?"

"You two," Jake turned to a pair of soldiers, "Guard to door".

The Doctor quickly dialled Jackie's number while Pete watched, "Help me!" Jackie's voices cried as she answered, "Oh, my God, help me".

"Jackie, you're alive!" the Doctor said, "Listen..."

"They tried to download me but I ran away!" Jackie cried over the top of the Doctor as he shushed her.

"Listen, tell me, where are you?"

"I don't know! Staircase".

"Yeah, which one? Is there any...any sort of sign? Anything to identify it?"

"Yes!" Jackie cried, "A fire extinguisher!"

"Yeah, that helps..." the Doctor rolled his eyes in a very Hatter way.

"Oh, wait a minute; it says 'N3!'".

"North corner, staircase 3," the Doctor nodded, "Just keep low, we're trying our best".

"No, don't leave me!"

"I've gotta go, I'm sorry," the Doctor hung the phone up and turned to Pete, "Jacqueline Andrea Suzette Tyler".

"She's not my wife," Pete said without any emotions.

"I was at the wedding," the Doctor told him, "You got her name wrong," he moved over to Jake, taking his gun off him, "Now then, Jake-y boy, if I can open up the bonding chamber on this thing, it could work on polycarbide".

"What's polycarbide?" Jake frowned.

"Skin of a Dalek," the Doctor answered as he started working.

...

The Hatter, Mickey, and Rose watched as the Daleks backed away from the Genesis Ark, "Final stage of awakening!" one of the Daleks shouted.

The Hatter's mind was going a hundred miles an hour, trying to think of a way to stop them when she heard the Doctor calling her name in her mind, "_Hatter, please tell me your not were I think you are?"_

"_What did you think I would do?"_ the Hatter closed her eyes, shaking her head, _"Sit back and let you do all the work?"_

"Your handprint will open the Ark," a Dalek said turning to Rose.

"_Sorry, Doctor have to go,"_ the Hatter said, _"But if you could hurry up and get here would be brilliant," _she opened her eyes.

"Well tough, 'cos I'm not doing it," Rose told it.

"Obey or the male and Time Lord die," the Daleks then turned their lasers onto Mickey and the Hatter.

"It's Time Lady, thank you," the Hatter crossed her arms, not looking worried in the slights.

Rose gave the Hatter a dirty look before moving towards the Ark, "I can't let them".

"Rose, don't," Mickey called after her as she walked past him.

"_Any time now, Doctor,"_ the Hatter called in her head, trying not to show how worried she really was.

"_Almost there," _the Doctor called back.

"Place your hand upon the casket," the Dalek ordered.

"Alright!" Rose shouted, turning to the Ark, "You're gonna kill us anyway, so what the hell?"

"Rose," the Hatter went to say but Rose talked over her.

"If you um...escaped the Time War...don't you want to know what happened?" Rose moved and stood right in front of the Dalek.

"_Doctor, please I'm begging you, hurry up,"_ the Hatter didn't even close her eyes, _"The Daleks are seconds away from killing Rose and Mickey"._

"_What about you?"_ the Doctor asked.

"_I don't matter,"_ the Hatter shook her head_, "Please hurry"._

"Place your hand..." the Dalek repented.

"What happened to the Emperor?" Rose finished making the Hatter face palmed.

"What is it?" Mickey whispered.

"She just asked for her death," the Hatter whispered back trying not to show how she was feeling, "Rose destroyed the Emperor. The Daleks have no idea who it was because she was going under the name 'Bad Wolf'".

"The Emperor survived?" the Dalek almost sounded as it had taken a breath.

"'Til he met me..." Rose smirked, "'Cos if these are gonna be my last words, then you're gonna listen. I met Emperor. And I took the Time Vortex and I pulled it into his head and turned him into dust. Do you get me? The God of all Daleks...and I destroyed him," Rose gave gloating laughed, "Ha!"

"You will be EXTERMINATED!" the Dalek shouted furiously as the Hatter pushed Rose out of the way, standing in front of the Dalek.

"If you want to kill Rose or Mickey, then you're going to have to go through me," the Hatter glared down the eye stalk, "And trust me you don't want to do that".

"Oh, hold on, wait a minute," a voices from the door way called.

They turned around to see the Doctor standing in the door way, waring his 3D glasses, slightly out of breath, "Honey I'm home!" he grin at the Hatter.

"What time to do you call this?" the Hatter breathed a sigh of relief, "I was worried sick!"

"Alert, alert, you are the Doctor!" the Dalek shouted.

The Doctor sauntered into the room as if he owned the place, "Sensors report he is unarmed," one of the Daleks reported.

"That's me," the Doctor grinned, "Always".

"Then you are powerless," the Dalek stated.

"Not me," the Doctor shook his head, slipping his glasses off, "Never. Not when she's around," he pointed at the Hatter who rolled her eyes before the Doctor glanced at Rose, "How are you?"

Rose grinned at him, "Oh, same old, you know".

"Good!" the Doctor smiled before turning to Mickey, "And Mickity-McMickey!" he and Mickey bumped fist, "Nice to see ya!"

"And you, boss," Mickey nodded.

"Now you..." he turned to the Hatter, giving her a quick hug and a kiss on her forehead before whispering her ear, "You almost gave me a double heart attack. Don't you dare do that again".

"It wouldn't be the first time that you almost had a heart attack," the Hatter whispered back thinking about the rat story, "And I won't make promises I can't keep," the Doctor shook his head, taking a step back.

"Social interaction will cease!" one of the Daleks shouted.

"How did you survive the Time War?" the Dalek asked.

"Hey, I'm hurt, Daleks," the Hatter pretended to gasp, "I thought were friends. You never asked me how I escaped".

"By fighting," the Doctor said, "On the front line," Mickey stared at him, "I was there at the fall of Aracadia. Someday I might even come to teams with that. But you lot...ran away!"

"We had to survive," the Dalek argued.

"If anyone's interested," the Hatter said, "I wasn't allowed to fight. The High Council was to worried, that I might get killed and they wouldn't have their 'Gifted One' anymore. But I did do my part. I crated the weapons used to fight against you. Of course after my lovely laboratory was destroyed I wasn't allowed to even leave my parents house. Talk about a fate worse than death living with them two. Being treated like a child by my mother. At least I hardly ever saw my father. Something's never change".

"The last four Daleks in existence," the Doctor said after a moment, eyeing the Daleks, "So what's so special about YOU?" he glanced over to the Hatter, "Do you know?"

"The Cult of Skaro," the Hatter answered at once, "Recognized them at once".

"They've got names," Rose nodded.

"I am Dalek Thay".

"Dalek Sec," the black Dalek said.

"Dalek Jast".

"Dalek Caan".

"So THAT'S it!" the Doctor nodded, "At last...the Cult of Skaro. I thought you were just a legend".

"Who are they?" Rose frowned.

"A secret order," the Hatter said as she strolled past the Daleks with the Doctor, "Above and beyond the Emperor himself. Their job was to imagine. Think as the enemy thinks. Even dared to have names. All to find new ways of killing".

"What's this?" the Doctor frowned, pointing at the Genesis Ark.

"You mean you don't know?" Rose asked, "It's Time Lord".

"Both sides had secrets," the Doctor shrugged.

"It's a Prison Ship," the Hatter sighed, "Meant to hold Millions of Daleks".

The Doctor spun around to look at her, "You built it?"

"I was forced to by the High Council," the Hatter said, "You know how desperate they were to win. Each person who helped me build it was sworn to secret. We were told that we either built it or...forced into regenerations. By this time Rassilon had taken over. We didn't have a choice".

"Time Lord Science will restore Dalek supremacy," Dalek Sec said.

"They said one touch from a time traveller will wake it up," Rose told the Doctor.

"I made it so that it could never be opened with the one thing a Dalek can't do," the Hatter said moving closer to a Dalek, "Touch. Sealed inside your casing. Not feeling anything...ever...from birth to death, locked inside a cold metal cage. Completely alone," she leaned forward to the point that her nose was nearly touching the Dalek, "And that explains your voice. No wonder you scream".

"The Doctor will open the Ark!" Dalek Sec shouted, backing away from the Hatter.

The Doctor laughed, pulling the Hatter away from the Dalek, "The Doctor will not".

"You have no way of resisting".

"Well...you got me there," the Doctor said giving the Hatter a small wink before turning back to the Daleks, "Although there is always this," he pulled the sonic screwdriver out.

"A sonic probe?"

"That's 'screwdriver,'" the Doctor and the Hatter corrected, offended.

"It is harmless," Sec stated.

"Oh yes," the Doctor nodded, "Harmless is just the word. That's why I like it. Doesn't kill, doesn't wound, doesn't maim. But I'll tell you what it does do; it is VERY good at opening doors".

The Doctor flicked the sonic on and the doors exploded inwards. Jake, his men, and even Cybermen started shooting their guns and lasers at the Daleks.

"Brilliant!" the Hatter shouted as the Doctor pushed her to the ground. Rose and Mickey flung themselves to the ground next to them, avoiding being hit by the guns and lasers.

"Delete!" the Cybermen called as they shoot at the Daleks, "Delete! Delete! Delete!"

"Alert!" Caan shouted, "Casing impact, casing impact!"

"Get out!" the Doctor shouted as he put an arm around the Hatter and started for the door.

Rose started running to the door only to stumble and fall. Pete rushed over to her, helping her to her feet and running towards the door.

"Fire power insufficient!" Sec cried, "Fire power insufficient!"

Rose and Pete made it to the door as Mickey grabbed his gun, firing to cover them.

"Daleks will be deleted," the Cybermen cried, "Delete! Delete!"

The Doctor and the Hatter reached the door, Rose and Pete were standing in the door way, "Mickey, come on!" Rose shouted.

"Adapt to weaponry!" Thay ordered.

"Sense when has, Mickey owned a gun?" the Hatter asked the Doctor, "You send him to a parallel Universe and this happens".

"Fire power restored!" Sec shouted.

"Not the time, Hatter," the Doctor muttered to her.

The Daleks fired at the Cybermen, destroying them just as Jake reached the door, all of them calling Mickey's name as he fell, accidently putting his hand on the Ark to stop himself from falling before quickly dashed towards them.

"Cybermen primary target," Sec shouted just as Mickey ran through the doors. The Hatter quickly went over to him, checking his hand to see a bit of a burn on it. Nothing to serious. Jake's men slipped through the door before the Doctor closed the door with the sonic, leaving the Cybermen and the Daleks on the other side.

"Jake, check the stairwell," the Doctor said as Jake and his men ran left, "The rest of you, come on!"

"I just fell!" Mickey said as they ran down the corridor, "I didn't mean it!"

"Mickey, without us, they'd have opened it by force," the Doctor told him as he took the Hatter's hand, "To do that, they'd have blown up the sun".

"You did us a favour," the Hatter added, kissing Mickey on his forehead, much to the Doctor's surprise, "Now, enough chat, run!"

"You will be upgraded!" a Cybermen said from somewhere up ahead.

"No, but you can't!" Jackie's voices wimped, "Please..." suddenly Pete stepped forward, taking the gun from Mickey and firing it at the Cybermen. They fell to the floor, dead, to show Jackie blinking in the smoke. She squinted through the smoke, he eyes winding when she realised who had just saved her life.

"Pete!" Jackie breathed eyes only for Pete.

"Hello, Jacks," Pete smiled, lowering the gun to his side.

"I said there were ghosts, but that's not fair," Jackie said looking past Pete, "Why him?"

"I'm not a ghost," Pete shook his head.

"But you're dead," Jackie said, "You died twenty years ago, Pete".

The Doctor stepped forward, "Its Pete from a different Universe. There are parallel worlds, Jackie. Every single decision..." but he was cut off by the Hatter pulling him back by his suit jacket.

"Have you no romantic bone in your body?" the Hatter whispered to him, shaking her head, "Can't you see that there having a moment? Honestly".

"Oh...you look old," Jackie breathed, staring at Pete.

"You don't," Pete said.

"How can you be standing there?" Jackie asked.

"Just got lucky...lived my life. You were left on your own. You didn't marry again or..."

"There was never anyone else," Jackie shook her head, "Twenty years, though. Look at me, I never left that flat. Did nothing with myself".

"Brought HER up," Pete nodded to Rose, "Rose Tyler. That's not bad".

"Yeah," Jackie said just above a whisper.

"In my world, it worked," Pete said, "All those daft little plans of mine. They worked. Made me rich".

"I don't care about that," Jackie shook her head before pausing, "How rich?"

"Very".

"I don't care about that," Jackie shook her head again, "How very?"

Rose rolled her eyes, as Pete laughed, the Doctor grinned, and the Hatter smiled, "The thing is, Jacks, you're...you're not my wife," Pete said, "I'm sorry, but you're not. I mean, we both..." Jackie nodded, "You know, it's just sort of..." he tossed the gun to the floor, "Oh, come here!" they ran towards each other, Jackie crying, until they both met in a huge hug where Pete swept her off her feet.

"You never do that to me," the Hatter said joking to the Doctor.

"Stop doing what I tell you not to do and you might get a hug like that," the Doctor smiled, "Anyway, come on".

...

The Doctor opened the doors to the factory floor to see a battle between the Cybermens and Daleks taken place. He started to dive into the room only for the Hatter to pull him back.

"Oh, no you don't," the Hatter frowned at him, "That's my job," and before he could say anything, she put her hat on his head, her scarf around his neck, and tied her hair up in a pony tail, "How do I look?"

"Insane," the Doctor shook his head, "You are not going out there".

"Yeah, I am," the Hatter said, "Watch and learn, Doctor, watch and learn," and with that she dived into the factory before the Doctor could stop her. She cartwheel over to the box with the Magnaclamps, crouching behind the box before slowly taking the clamps out of the box and running back, bent over to avoid the beams, jumping over a beam before sliding towards the door. The Doctor quickly helped her up as Rose shut the door behind them.

"Where did you learn that?" the Doctor asked, hugging her.

"James Bond," the Hatter said before laughing at his face, "No, I was never actually taught I just tried to do a cartwheel one day and could. You forget Doctor that I'm a lot more flexible than most people".

"Believe me I haven't forgotten," the Doctor muttered going slightly pink before going to walk off, "Oh, open it again," he said turning back to Rose, dropping the clamps on the floor, putting his 3D glasses on as the Hatter put her hat and scarf back on but left her hair up.

The Doctor, Rose, and the Hatter peeked around the door as the Daleks opened the roof, "What're they doing?" Rose asked as Sec and the Ark started rising, "Why'd they need to get outside?"

"The Ark needs about 13 square miles to activate," the Hatter explained, "The sky's a good place as any".

"Come on," the Doctor said before running off.

...

They stood in Yvonne's old office, watching as the Ark realised millions of Daleks. The Cyber men down below in the streets began firing at the Daleks but the Daleks weren't affected in the slights. They turned their own weapons on the Cybermen, causing mass chaos and destruction all over the City.

"I'm sorry, but you've had it," Pete turned away from the window, shaking his head, "This world's gonna crash and burn. There nothing we can do. We're going home. Jakes, take this," he tossed Jackie one of the buttons.

"But they're destroying the City!" Jackie exclaimed.

"I'd forgotten you could argue," Pete said affectionately, putting the button over her head and around her neck, "It's not just London, it's the whole world," he took her face in his hands, "But there's another world, just waiting for you, Jacks. And it's safe. As long as the Doctor and the Hatter closes the breech. Doctor? Hatter?"

The Doctor turned away from the window with his 3d glasses and a grin, "Oh, I'm ready. I've got the equipment right here. Thank you, Torchwood!" he dashed over to were, the Hatter was typing at one of the computers, "Slam it down and close off both Universes".

"Reboot systems," the computer announced as the Doctor and the Hatter high fived.

"But we can't just leave!" Rose frowned, "What about the Daleks? And the Cybermen?"

The Hatter stood up from her typing, "They're part of the problem. And THAT makes them part of the solution".

"Oh yes!" the Doctor grinned making Rose laugh nervously, "Well? Isn't anyone gonna ask? What is it with the glasses?"

Rose smiled, "What is it with the glasses?"

"I can SEE! That's what! 'Cos we've got two separate worlds, but in between the two separate worlds, we've got the Void. That's where the Daleks were hiding. And the Cybermen travelled through the Void to get here! And you lot, one world to another, via the Void! Oh, I like that. Via the Void! Look!" he turned and past Rose his glasses, "I've been through it. Do you see?"

The Doctor grabbed the Hatter and started dancing around so Rose could see, with the 3D glasses, that they were both covered in green and red floating particles. She reached out and tried to touch the particles.

"Reboot in three minutes," the computer announced.

"What is it?" Rose asked as the Doctor spun the Hatter around.

"Void stuff," the Doctor said as the Hatter shook her head.

"What is it with you and not using the proper names?" the Hatter said, "And dancing?"

"Like um...background radiation!" Rose guessed, ignoring the Hatter.

"That's it. Look at the others," Rose turned and looked at Jake, Mickey, Jackie, and Pete. All of them except her mother were surrounded by the particles, "The only one who hasn't been through the Void, your mother. First time she's looked normal in her life".

"Oi!" Jackie cried as Rose laughed.

The Doctor ran to the white wall with Rose.

"The Daleks lived inside the Void," the Hatter explained, "They're bristling with it. Cybermen, all of them," she turned and looked at the Doctor, "We just open the Void...and of verse. The so called Void Stuff gets sucked back inside".

"PULLING them all in!" Rose cried, enthusiastic to the Doctor.

"Pulling them all in!" the Doctor grinned.

"Sorry..." Mickey frowned, "What's...what's the Void?"

"The dead space between worlds," the Hatter said, "Some people call it 'Hell'".

"So..." Mickey put the button around his neck, "You're sending the Daleks and Cybermen to Hell," he grinned at Jake, "Man, I told you there good".

"But it's...like you said; we've ALL got Void stuff," Rose looked down at her hands with the glasses, seeing the particles on herself, "Me too, 'cos we went to that parallel world," she pulled the glasses off, "We're all contaminated. We'll get pulled in".

"That's why you've gotta go," the Doctor told her.

"Reboot in two minutes".

Rose stared at him, "Back to Pete's world," the Doctor added, pointing at Pete, "Hey, we should call it that, 'Pete's World'".

"Were opening the Void," the Hatter explained as she started working on a computer, "But only on this side. You'll be safe on that side".

"And then you close it?" Pete asked, looking between the Doctor and the Hatter, "For good?"

"The breach itself is soaked in...Void Stuff," the Hatter shook her head at the Doctor as he shot her a grin, "In the end, it'll close itself. And that's it".

"Kaput," the Doctor added.

"But you stay on THIS side...with her?" Rose pointed at the Hatter.

"But you'll get pulled in," Mickey frowned looking at the Hatter.

"Wall, it's nice to know that someone likes me," the Hatter shook head as the Doctor frowned at Rose.

The Doctor gave Rose a look before running over to the desk that the Hatter was working on, were the Magnaclamps were also sitting. Rose stayed put, looking as if she had been slapped.

"That's why we got these," the Doctor patted the clamps, "We'll just have to hold on tight," he glanced at the Hatter, "We've been doing it all our life".

"I'm supposed to go," Rose shook her head, "And she's supposed to stay?"

"I have to," the Hatter said, "If I was to go through and it was to close...the whole thing would shatter. Two worlds would collapse. I have to stay".

The Doctor nodded before turning to Rose as the Hatter went back to work, "Yeah".

"To another world, and then it gets sealed off".

"Yeah," the Doctor repented.

"Forever," Rose laughed as the Doctor looked at the computer the Hatter was working on, "That's _not _gonna happen".

Suddenly there was a crash from outside, shacking the building.

"We haven't got time to arguer, the plans works, we go in," Pete said as he took charge, "You too. ALL of us".

"No, I'm not leaving him!" Rose shouted.

"I'm not going without her," Jackie stepped closer to Rose.

"Oh, my GOD," Pete exclaimed, "We're GOING".

"I've had twenty years without you, so button it," Jackie told him, "I'm not leaving her".

"You've GOT to," Rose said to Jackie.

"Wall, that's tough!"

"Mum..."

"Reboot in one minute".

The Hatter took the Doctor's hand as he watched Rose while she faced her parents.

"I've had a life with you for nineteen years," Rose said, her voice choked with tears, "But then I met the Doctor and...all the things I've seen him do for me. For you. For all of us. For the whole...stupid planet and every planet out there. He does it alone, mum".

The Doctor glanced at the Hatter, shaking his head at the last comment but the Hatter didn't seem to notice. He reached inside his pocket and slowly pulled the yellow button out.

"But not anymore," Rose continued, stepping away from Jackie, unaware that the Doctor was moving towards her, and not noticing that Pete was pulling his yellow button out from his jacket, "'Cos not he's got me," the Doctor dropped the chain around her neck, "What're you..."

Pete quickly pressed the button, and they disappeared...leaving not trace that they were ever there.

"I'm sorry, Doctor," the Hatter said, giving him a quick hug before they both got back to work.

Suddenly Rose reappeared, "I think this is the on switch..."

The Doctor and the Hatter looked up from their computers, to see Rose standing there. The Doctor moved away from his computer, grabbing Rose's shoulders, "Once the breach collapses, that's it. You will never be able to see her again. You own mother!"

"I made my choice a long time ago," Rose calmly said, but her voice trembled, "And I'm never gonna leave you," the Doctor stared at her before backing away, "So what can I do to help?"

"Systems rebooted. Open access".

"You can think about this," the Hatter said grabbing Rose's shoulders and looking her straight in her eyes, "This is your mother, Rose. Like you said she spent nineteen years of _her _life giving up everything for _you_. I would give my life just to say goodbye to my children. When you lose a child, you never get over it. Never. You learn you live with it but you never forget. The pain becomes easer but it's still there. Just under the surfers. Rose, your mother needs you. Please don't let her go through the pain that I have".

Rose swallowed, "I made my choice..."

The Hatter turned away from her and back to the computer, ignoring the Doctor as she past him, "I have nothing more to say to you," she said without looking up, "When this is all over...Doctor take me back to 2012".

"What?" the Doctor exclaimed, completely stunned.

"I can't be around someone who so willingly gave their family up like that," the Hatter replied still working on her computer, "Not after what happened to mine. To travel around the Universe is one thing but to give your family up..." she shook her head, "Just drop me off and I will try to find my own TARDIS again and if I can't...maybe UNIT needs one of its unpaid Scientific Advisor back".

"Hatter..." the Doctor tried but the Hatter stopped him.

"My choices, Doctor," she held her hand up, "And it's not like you won't see me ever again. It could be like the old days when we used to run into each other every other week".

Rose and the Doctor stared at her. The Doctor couldn't remember the last time he had seen the Hatter this upset and for her to ask to be taken to 2012...it showed how upset she really was.

"What can I do?" Rose asked the Doctor who was still staring at the Hatter as she worked.

The Doctor jumped slightly, talking over his shoulder, not looking at Rose, "Those coordinates by the computer, set them all at six," Rose nodded slowly and moved to where he had pointed, "And hurry up!" he added, angrily before going over to the Hatter and tried to talk to her but it was like talking to a brick wall. He sighed before getting on with his own work.

...

"We've got Cybermen on the way up," Rose called as the Doctor and the Hatter finished with the clamps. The Hatter hadn't spoken a word and the Doctor had stopped pushing her knowing that she would talk when she was ready.

"How many floors down?" the Doctor asked.

"Just one," Rose swallowed as she watched the screen as it showed the Cybermen approaching. The Doctor clicked a button on the computer that used to be Addy's.

"Levers operational," the computer announced.

The Doctor grinned while Rose stayed silent.

"Get to the clamps," the Doctor said to Rose, rushing over to the clamp on the left, leaving Rose to take the right. The Hatter straightened herself, took her hat and stuffed it into her pocket; she did the same with her scarf before join the Doctor on the left.

"When it starts, just hold on tight," the Doctor called over to Rose, "Shouldn't be too bad for us but the Daleks and the Cybermen are stepped in the Void Stuff. Are you ready?"

"Born ready," the Hatter smiled making the Doctor grin.

Rose glanced at the window to see the Daleks flying towards them, "So are they".

"Let's do it!" the Doctor shouted.

Rose pushed her lever while the Doctor and the Hatter pushed there's, running to take the clamps.

"Online".

The room filled with white light bringing with it a strong wind. A moment later the window behind them smashed as the Daleks were sucked through and into the Void. Rose, the Doctor, and the Hatter held on as tight to the clamp, all of them struggling to hold on.

"The breach is open!" the Doctor shouted over the wind as the Hatter focused on not eating her hair and holding on at the same time, "Into the Void! Ha!"

Rose smiled as the Cybermen and more Daleks flew through the room. There was a smell explosion from the lever on Rose's side, making their smiles fade.

"Offline".

"Turn it on!" the Doctor and the Hatter shouted.

They watched, anxiously, as Rose moved to try and reach lever but she couldn't reach. She strained to reach it until she fell onto the lever. The Doctor and the Hatter watching, helpless.

"I've gotta get it upright!" Rose shouted, groaning with the effort but she managed to just that. But her grip started slipping.

"Online and locked".

"Rose, hold on!" the Doctor and the Hatter shouted as they were forced to watch as Rose only just held on, "HOLD ON!" the Doctor yelled.

Then to the horror of the Doctor and the Hatter, Rose's hands slipped from the lever, she cried out as she was pulled through the air, towards the Void, the Doctor and the Hatter screaming her name. But suddenly, out of know were Pete appeared, grabbing Rose just before she was lost in the Void. Rose looked over her should at the Doctor one last time as Pete pressed the button, sending them both into the parallel world.

Slowly the wind died down. The Doctor and the Hatter both collapsed, gasping for breath on the floor. The bright white light also died, leaving nothing but silence behind. The Doctor stood and walked to the wall. He put a hand and rested the side of his head against it. The Hatter slowly got to her feet, still in shock about everything and walked over to the Doctor as he slid down the wall. The Hatter slid down next to him, putting her arms around him.

"We'll see her again," the Hatter whispered, "I don't know when and I don't know how but we will," she kissed his forehead, "I promise you and I always keep my promises".

"I know," the Doctor nodded before slowly standing and helping the Hatter up, "If you say we will then we will".

...

_3 hours later._

"Where are you?" Rose asked as she stood on a beach in Norway, Jackie, Pete, and Mickey standing back, giving her time to talk to the Doctor. The Doctor was standing in front her, like a ghost, slightly translucent.

"Inside the TARDIS," the Doctor said, his voice somewhat distant, "The Hatter and I found one tiny little gap in the Universe left, just about to close. And it takes a lot of power to send this projection, I'm in orbit abound a super nova," he laughed, "I'm burning up a sun just to say goodbye".

"You look like a ghost," Rose said.

"Hold on..." the Doctor went to pull his sonic out but the Hatter bet him to it, he become more solid looking, a little more there, "Thanks Hatter".

Rose walked forward, raising her hand to touch his face, "Can I t..."

"I'm still just an image," the Doctor sighed, "No touch".

"Can't you come through properly?"

"The whole thing would fracture," the Doctor said, "Two Universe would collapse".

"So?" Rose asked, only half joking.

The Doctor grinned at her, "Where are we? Where did the gap come out?"

"We're in Norway," Rose told him.

"Norway," he nodded, "Right".

"About fifty miles out of Bergen," Rose said, "It's called 'Dalrlig Ulv Standedn'".

"Dalek?" the Doctor took a double take.

"Darl-IG," Rose corrected, "It's Norwegian for 'bad'. This translates as 'Bad Wolf Bay,'" they laughed together but they stopped quickly, "How long have we got?" she asked her voice cracking.

"About two minutes," the Doctor said.

"I can't think of what to say!" Rose almost started laughing, the Doctor did the same. He looked over and spotted Jackie, Pete, and Mickey standing by a Jeep.

"You've still got Mr. Mickey, then?"

"There's five of us now. Mum, dad, Mickey...and the baby".

"Something I should know about, Doctor?" the Hatter's voice called from somewhere out of sight, "Am I going to be an Aunty again?"

"You're no..." the Doctor began, a bit taken aback and turning slightly pink at the Hatter's words.

"No," Rose said quickly, laughing, "Its mum," he looked over to Jackie, nodding, "She's three mouths gone. More Tyler's on the way".

"And what about you? Are you..."

"Yeah, I'm...I'm back working in the shop".

"Oh...good for you".

"Shut up," Rose laughed, "No, I'm not. There's still a Torchwood on this planet, it's open for business," she started to tear up again; "I think I know a thing or two about aliens".

"Rose Tyler," he smiled proudly at her, "Defender of Earth," he swallowed, "You're dead, officially, back home. So many people died that day and you've gone missing. You're on a list of the dead," she started crying, "Here you are," he smiled, "Living a life day after day. The one adventure I can never have".

"Am I ever gonna see you again?" Rose sobbed.

The Doctor paused, thinking back to what the Hatter had said but decided that it was better not to tell Rose, "You can't".

"What're you gonna do?"

"Oh, I've got the TARDIS," the Doctor shrugged, "Same old life. Me and the Hatter, Last of the Time Lords".

"I lo..." Rose started to say but stopped herself, taking a moment before going on, "I love you".

"Quite right, too," the Doctor smiled, he glanced over to the Hatter, trying to think of what he could say. He could remember the Hatter telling him that Rose loved him but after the Hatter came along everything changed for him. She brought back all of his memories of Gallifrey before the Time War. All of the little things that he had forgotten because of how much he had been trying to forget the War. The songs, stories, everything that shouldn't be forgotten but had been.

The Doctor looked back to Rose, taking a deep breath, "And I suppose...if it's one last chance to say it..." he paused before going on, "Rose Tyler..."

The projection faded.

The Doctor blinked, finding himself back on the TARDIS, tears spilled down his face but just as they fell they were wiped away by the Hatter.

"I'm so, so, sorry, Doctor," the Hatter hugged him, "For everything".

The Doctor didn't say anything, simply hugged her tighter. After a while they both started getting ready to leave, when the Doctor looked up.

"What?" he gaped, staring at the door.

The Hatter followed his gaze and did a double take when she saw a woman in a white wedding dress. The woman turned around and yelped when she saw them.

"What?" the Doctor repented glancing at the Hatter.

"Who are you?" the woman asked.

"But..." the Doctor shook his head.

"How..." the Hatter frowned.

"Where am I?"

"What?" the Doctor shouted.

"What the hell is this place?" the woman yelled.

"WHAT?" both the Doctor and the Hatter shouted in unison.

_**I never thought I would never finish this story. It's funny how things like that happen. Anyway the next story will be called 'Time Lady and two Time Lords' because of the Master and it will be up very soon but I will be posting in a few hours time a story called, 'The Doctor and the Hatter when it all started'. I hope you liked it, please review :)**_


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